Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-08-17

vaz used. and when il = cu,er
came in possession i M - !
! wornont. yalneIess clay-he4
i The new owners &rse ogleq - q
remove all the hcdgeE II ncrs 4
! land ~ere q once added - -
Beyond this fact ccmmene ~
hedges 10 unnecessary. nex1 y eod
Of ground was underdrainsd. - IL
drains we're put in nsch this ol1ep-
Ter than usual Rcsls wsgo = p ri.
ating iron the hziIdings il e< 49,
These divided the plaes i1@x -.
| Upon cheese seaassAe tractio me r.
vels vhss = enrk plowing c. svaEins.
TIE seam plov used = H. Fewisr
pattern, and works ups tAs. .sofnels on
gine plsa." This steam ploSfde 6usiness
is one that deserves careful cxaminasiou.
Concerning the various methods Of steam
plowins cannot now speak At present
we will content ourselves with the actual
work done on this farm. and leave the RI
val Howard and Fowler systems to anoth-
er time. Traction engines work f;e farm
work must also be discussed hereafter.
Atpresent it is enough to know that
this engine is traction engine. that Is.
moves itself like locomotive. When
blowing or narrowing is to be done. steam
il started, the engine rolls out of the barn
and proceeds ieisurely to the Geld. drag
ging after it . train Of wagons containing
the plows. ropes, &c. The working force
consists of three men and three boys
| Tie AN al se~s..~ Al
road. at one end of the field. The plow.
with its four shares. is run on 10 the land.
beside the engine. and facing away from
it at right snglcs. The wire rope is carried
to the opposite side Of the feld and pas
sed through block. on . movable an
chor. having disc wheels that Gu. into the
ground at the headland. The rope is con-
necsed with the pillow and with the drum
under the engine. The engineer mounts
bis locomotive. The man at the anchor
stands ready TO mcve it as the plow cuts
its wide path through the SOIL The as
sistan.s take their places along the ropes
with iron frames. over which il runs to
prevent friction, and the plowman mounts
his strange machine. This is pair Of
wheels. having two huge iron arms. each
containing four plows. each set facing the
other. The plowman. the foreman Of the
gang. waves \ white flag to start. The
engine puHs Justify. The ropes tighten
and groan. One arm. containing four
plows. sinks into the ground. while the
other. slightly elevated in the air. goes
backward in front. The dust flies, and
with tremendous force the soil is plswed
up and turned completely over to depth
of six inches. and at speed Of an acre an
hour. As the plow goes tearing through
the land. the boys remove Tho .:portsrs"'.
over which the rope runs aud re- - Them
as the plow passes.
A wave OF the flag aai the engine slows
down. Another signal and it stops with
the plow at the opposite side Of the field
The piowman changes his seat. the an
chor is moved slightly and the engine
starts forward few feet. The fag waves.
the rope tightens. and the plow starts Oh
iss return journey, making four new fur
rows.
ApvASrAoEs or MAcurxIRY.
With these truly splendid means the
land is plowed SUBSIDIZED or narrowed at
a very rapid rate Narrowing is perform
ed at the rate of twenty acres or more
day. The exact figures in regard to plow-
ing will give in due time.
| For depth. cheapness and thoroughness
Of culture machinery leads everything -
Its advantages on large farms are too great
to need discussion. For the prarie farmer,
and especially the man who can command
water-power. this system, or something
like it. presents many features worthy Of
imitation. Should it happen that farm
er has q water-power in the centre of his
place. slight modification of the rope and
blocks. SO that the rnotivc-power need not
move. would enable him to cultivate q
large farm with single water-wheel. In
spite OF its high frs: cost. steam or other
power beside horses is destined to do all
our heavy farm work. Steam il being ra-
p;dly introduced into English farms. and
not alone for plowing. Ths crops can be
handled. thrcshed. stored aud prepared in
various ways for marke. BY steam. The
same engine that plows the land can drive
the root-cutter. saw the wool, punp wa
ter. hoist the hay to the lofts. run the
grain elevator. or drag dossn loads to
market ~ once along the country roads.
A CHEMICAL KxANrSAryox.
| To return to our clay farm After the
6rst thorough tearing and clearing up Of
the place had been accomplished, the next
thing was to have careful chemical er-
animation made of each field. In fact the
chemist is retained. and makes regular re-
ports upon the soil. Upon these reports
the nanural practice is founded. This.
was told. excited at frst the greatest
amusemen, among the neighhoring farm-
ers. Now they rub their sleepy eyes aud
admit that the chemist IS one Of the bcs,
men on the farm.
The crops we're pns in entirely by machi-
merry. As far as possible steam was en-
plcyed, and their horses have followed the
4 engine None of the tiresone hand labor
followed about London Was allowed. - The
first four crops we're comparatively small,
aud did not pay. Sooa they began 10 i'm.
prove. and continued improving till In,
Summer. when the largest crops eve,
kno~n to be gathered in the ccuntry were
. cut frcm theie unmsnnred fields thst II,
J felds not Supplied with barn uanuse.-
The only manure used was from the hoss
. mill and she chemical works.. 4.
- Dispoeing Of the crops ispuculisr. Jus,
. the various fields are 10 their bese cou
: dition. hey are divided INTO bis .sof ses