The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-15
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
CTARKE,s DINE PLOw.

BY INVITATION OFMR. F.C. WILLIAMS,
of the county of Nottoway, q number Of gentle
men assembled &C his residence Saturday, De-
cember 10, to test by practical experiment the
facturcd by Starie & Co., and any other that
might enter the field of competition
The plows were taken TO the field at half
past two =. M, the following gentlemen acting rs
Judges F. w Eppes r H. Williams, Robert
Scott, Jas s. Gillian, VIM. T. Christian, Rich
ard Eppes, DR.. Daring, Sidney Graves, Walton
Sytlnor, f. c. Williams, G.. N. Seay and j. NJ
Hurt Mr. s. Graves and Walton Sydnor were
the principal plowmen Mr. w. Sdnor working
the Watt plow, and 5. 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 right hand broke In two and was laid
aside the contest being narrowed to the Watt left
hand and Dixie right-hand The soil first selected
was a stubble loan without soil but as the plows
were new and did not turn in consequence of the
roughness of the castings, after a short trial il
was decided TO take them into another field where
the soil was a wcltrodden, tenacious clay, with
a timothy sod covered with vegetation and with
straw The plows here performed their work adj
mrably, cutting and turning without choking.
As the Dixie was new conner, as the contest
waxed warm most of the judges took hold of il
to test personally its practical working. While
there is no intention TO do injustice to any, as
neither party had agent or representative pre-
sent, and both plows did we'll yet the trial, with
Importance to the interest of agriculture to iusi-
fly its publication.
The award of the judges unanimously in
favor of the Dixie on the following grounds;
1st 1t cut deeper furrow.
I'd. 1t cut n wider furroW.
Sd. II more eflectually inverted the sod.
4th. The draft seemed TO be no greater
9TH. 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 rs 10 determine TO order
them for their
j. M. HURT, Secretary.
certify that the above was sent to the Rich
mond Wing for publication by myself; that l
am not acquainted with MIR. Starke; that he had
never seen the paper and knew nothing of Its
contents and was in no wise a party TO The trial
of the plows alluded to.
January 7, 1871. j. M HURT.
We the Judges in the 'Plow Trial" on the
farm of Mr.. +. G. Williams, published in the
Wing hereby certify that it was directed to be
sent TO that Journal as Il communication by the
judges who made the award,
j. M HURT,
+. G. WILLIAMS,
w. Il. CHRISTIAN,
j. b. WILLIAMS,
January 0, 1871. JAS. $. GILLIAN
L do not believe in plow trials made by the
manufacturers themselves but hope that every
merwill at 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
must leave feld-trials where they rightly belong
Ito themselves.
p II. STARKE
ap 12--w3m No l440 Main Street.