The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-16
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
CTARKE's DIXIE PLOw.

| BY INVITATION OF MIR. +. G. WILLIAMS,
of the county of Nottoway, a number of gentle
men assembled at his residence Saturday, De.
comparative value OF the DIXIE PLOW, manu-
featured by Starlre & Co., and any other that
might enter the field of competition
The plows were taken to the field at half
past two p. NJ the following gentlemen acting as
judges +. w Eppes, J. il. Williams, Robert
Scott, JAS S. Gillian, VIM. r. Christian. Rich
ard Eppes, DIR. Daring Sidney Graves, Walton
Hurt. Mr.. S. Graves and Walton Sydnor were
the principal plowmen. Mr. w. Sidnor working
the Watt pillow, and S. Graves the Dixie-both of
whom handled them with mastery skin and
success.
Those entered were the Dixie two-horse right and
left-hand plows and the Watt two-horse left
hand Soon after the trial commenced, the beam
of the Dixie righthand broke in two and was laid
aside, the contest being narrowed tothe Watt left
hand and Dixie right-hand 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 1t
was decided to take them into another field where
the Soil was well-trodden, tenacious clay, with
a timothy sod covered with vegetation and with
straw. The plows here performed their work adj
mirably, cutting and turning without choking
As the Dixie was new conner, as the contest
waxed warm most of the Judges took hold of II
TO test personally its practical working While
there is no intention 10 do injustice to any, as
neither party had agent or representative pre-
sent, and both plows did WELL yet the trial with
the award of the judges. is deemed of sufficient
Importance to the interest of agriculture to justi
fy its publication
The award of the judges was unanimously in
favor of the Dixie on the following grounds:
LIST. 1t cut deeper furrow
I'd. 1t cut wider furrow
Sd. 1t more effectually inverted the sod.
4th The draft seemed to be no greater
0th 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 10 order
them for their own use
I'M. HURT, Secretary. !
certify that the above was sent to the Rich
mond ''Whig for publication by myself; that l
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 plows alluded to.
January z, 1871. j. NJ. HURT
: We the judges i'll the pillow Trial" on the
farm OF MIR. T. G. Williams, published in the |
wing hereby certify that it was directed to be
sent TO that journal as a communication by the
judges who made the award
M. HURT,
+. G. WILLIAMS,
w T. CHRISTIAN |
], b. WILLIAMS, I
January 8, 1871 JAS. $. GILLIAN.
do not believe in plow trials made by the |
farmer will Mt once make full trial of the DIXIE |
with every plow he can find, and buy that which |
does the best work have been not able to supply |
the demand nor fill my orders for sometime and |
must leave field-trials where they rightly belong |
to themselves
P. II. STARKE,
ap l2-w3m No. l440 Main Street. |