The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-30
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.
CTARKE's DIXIE PLow.

BY INVITATION OFMR. i. G. WILLIAMS
Of the county of Nottoway, a number of gentle
men assembled at his residence Saturday. De
cember 10, to test by practical experiment the
comparative value of the DIXIE PLOW, manu-
| featured by Starke 4 Co, and any other that
| might enter the field of competition.
The plows We're taken to the field at hall
past two p, NJ, the following gentlemen acting rs
| Judges r. w. Eppes, j. Il. Williams, Robert
Scott, Jas. s. Gillian, VIM. r. Christian, Rich
ard Eppes, DIR. Daring, Sidney Graves, Walton
/ Sydnor, f. G. Williams, q. N. Seay, and j. M.
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 skill 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 righthand. The soil first selected
was q stubble loan without soil but as the pows
were new, and did not turn in consequence of the
roughness of the castings, after short trial ii
was decided to take them into anotheriield where
the soil was weltrodden, tenacious clay, with
Il 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 1t
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 well, yet the trial. with
the award of the Judges, is deemed of sufficient
importance to the interest of agriculture to iusi-
fly 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 a wider furrow.
Sd. II more effectually 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 pleased as to determine to order |
them for their own use.
J. NJ HURT, Secretary
certify that the above was sent to the Rich |
mond 'Whig' for publication by myself; that / |
am not acquainted with MIR. Starlxe; 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 7, 1871. J. M HURT
We, the judges in the ''Plow Trial" on the |
farm of Mr.. +. @. Williams, published in the |
Wing hereby certify that it was directed to be |
sent to that journal as communication by the |
judges who made the award.
J. NJ HURT,
+. C. WILLIAMS,
w. I. CHRISTIAN,
]. b. WILLIAMS,
January g. 1871. JAS. S. GILLIAN
do not believe in pillow trials made by the |
manufacturers themselves but hope that every /
farmer will at once make full trial of the DIXIE
with every pillow 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 feld-trials where they rightly belong
to themselves.
P. H. STARKE,
ap 12-w3m No. l440 Main Street.