The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-08


BY INVITATION OF MIR. +. G. WILLIAMs',
OF the county of Nottoway, number of gentle
men assembled at his residence Saturday, De
cember 10, to test by practical experiment the
comparative value of the DIXIE PLOW, mann
featured by Starixe 4 Co., and any other that
might enter the field Of competition
The plows were taken to the field at half
past two T, M the following gentlemen acting as
judges f. w. Eppes J. b. Williams, Robert
Scott, Jas. S. Gillian, VIM. T. Christian Rich
ard Eppes, DIR. Daring, Sidney Graves, Walton
Syinor, +. @. Williams, G.. N. Seay and j NJ.
Hurt. Mr. $. Graves and Walton Sydnor were
the principal plowmen Mr. w. Sidnor working
the Watt plow, and S. Graves the Dixie--botll Of
whom handled them with mastery skill and
Those entered were the Dixie tsvo-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 rght-hand. The soil first selected
was q stubble loan withoutsoil; bnt as the plows
We're new, and did not turn in consequence of the
roughness of the castings, after short trial it
was decided to take them into another field where
the soil was a well-trodden, tenacious clay, with
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 II new conner, as the contest
walked warm most of the judges took hold of it
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 insi
fy its publications. IL n - tlsl s n 80
The award of the judges was unanimously in
favor of the Dixie on the following grounds;
LIST. 1t cut q deeper furrow. .ifs
I'd. 1t cut a wider fnrow. 81, ~ F4ssf 4 ~
Sd. 1t more efIectually inverted the sod 1850 4
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 We're so pleased Us to determine to order
them for their own use.
J.a1. HURT, Secretary.
mond ''Whig'' for publication by myself; that
am not acquainted with Mr.. StaTke; 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. eoe,a "
January Z, 1871. j. M. HURT
We the Judges in the "Plow Trial. on the
farm of MIR. +. @. Williams, published in the
IWhig, hereby certify that it was directed to be
sent to that journal as communication by the
inc yes who made the award.
''s-AN elisseH eq 4a j. M HURT, Eaer
sga i. CIVILIANS,
w. Z. CHRISTIAN,
,. ID. WILLIAMS,
January 9, 1871. JAS S. GlLLIAM
do not believe in plow trials Male by tne
manufacturers themselves but hope thai every
farmer will at once make full trial of the Dl
with every plow he can find, and buy that which
does the best work. have been not able TO stapply
the demand, nor fill my orders for sometime. ailo
must leave fieldtriais where they rightly belong
to themselves s3asfs sstss.,s.cs.
P. Fl. STARKE,
+ ap l2--w3m No. 1440 Main Street.