The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-02
STAKES DIXIE PLOW.

DY INVITATION OF MR.. r. @. WILLIAMS, OF
- the county OF Nottowsy, number of gen
tlemen assembled at his residence Saturday, Decem
Der TO- to test by practical experiment the compar-
ative value of the DIXIE PL0W, manufactured by
starke Co, and any other that might enter the
field of competition.
p. NJ, the following gentlemen acting judges r.
W. Epcs, j. b. Williams, Robert Scott, Jas. s. Gil.
liam, VIM 7. Christian, Richard Epes. Dr. Daring,
Sidney Graves, Walton sydnor, #. O. Williams, g..
N. seay, and J. NJ. Hurt Mr.. 8. Graves and Walton
syduor the principal powmen Mr.. W. sydnor
working the Watt pillow and Graves the Dixie
both OF whom handled them with mastery SIX II and
success.
The plows entered were the Dixie two.horse right
and lefthand plows, and the Aatt twohorse left
hand. Soon after the trial commenced the beam of
the Dixie right hand broke in two and was laid
aside, the contest being narrowed to the Watt left
hand and Dixie lefthand. The soil first selected
was stubble loan without soil but as the plows
were new, and did not turn in consequence of the
roughness of the castings after short trial it
decided to take them into another field where the
soil was well-trodden, tenacious clay, With timo-
thy sod covered with vegetation and with straw.
The plows here performed their work admirably,
cutting and 'urning clear without choking.
As the Dixie was a new conner. as the contest
waxed warm most Of the judges took hold Of it to
test personally its practical working While there
is no intention to Dc injustice to any, neither
party had agent or representative present and 10th
plows old WE'LL yet the trial. with the award of the
Judges is deemed of sufficient Importance to the in
terest Of agriculture to Justify its publication.
The award of the judges was unanimously in favor
of the Dixie on the following grounds.
1st II cut deeper furrow.
I'd. 1t cut wider furrow.
Sd. 1t more effectually inverted the sod.
4th. The draft seemed to be no greater. se
5tb. The mechanical arrangement for altering cut
was deemed more simple and efficient.
At the conclusion OF the trial some of the judges
were so pleased as to determine to order them for
their own use. J. III. HURT, Secretary.
I certify that the above was sent to the Richmond
"Whig" for publication by myself that am not
acquainted with Mr.. Starke that he had never seen
the paper and knew nothing of its contents and was
in no wise party to the trial of the pows alluded
to ]. M. HURT.
January 7, 1871.
We, the jui ges In the "Plow Trial." on the farm of
Mr. H. O. Williams published in the Wing, hereby
certify that 1t directed be sent to that journal
as communication by the judges who made the
award.
JMHURT,
FC WILLIAMS,
W CHRISTIAN,
JB WILLIAMS,
JAS GILLIAN.
january 9, 1871.
do not believe in pillow trials made by the manu-
facturers themselves, but hope that every farmer
will at once mako full trial of the DIXIE with
every pillow he can find, and buy that which does the
best work. 1 have not been able to supply the de-
mand, nor fill my orders for sometime, and must
leave field-trias where they rightly beong-to farm
ers themselves.
PHI sTARKE,
ap 13-wSm No 1440 Main street.