The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-05
STARKE'S DIXIE PIOW.

nY INVITATI0NI0F MR.. T. c. WILLIAMS, OF
ID the county of Nottoway, q number of gem
tlemen assembled at his residence Saturday Decem-
Der TO- to test BY practical experiment the compsr-
atve value of the DIXIE PLOW, manufactured by
starke Co., and any other that might enter. the
field OF competition. erf
The plows were taken to the field at half past two
2. NJ. the following gentlemen acting as judges T.
W. Epes, j. D. Williams Robert Scott, Jas s. Gil.
liam, VIM. T. Christian, Richard Epes DR.. Daring
Sidney Graves, Walton sydnor, f. @. Williams, @.
N. seay, and j. NJ. Hurt. Mr.. 8. Graves and Walton
sydnor were the principal plowmen, Mr.. W. sydnor
working the Watt pillow and 3. Graves the Dixie
both of whom handled them with mastery skill and
success.
The plows 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 lefthand. The soil first selected
was a stubble loan without soil but the pows
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 tmo
thy sod covered with vegetation and with straw.
The plows here performed their work admirably,
cutting and turning clear without choking.
As the Dixie was conner, 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, neither
party had agent representative present. and 10th
plows did 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 1t cut deeper furrow.
3D. 1t cut wider furrow
3d. 1t 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 of the Judges
were SO pleased as 10 determine to order them for
their own use. J. NJ. HURT, Secretary.
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
In no wise party to the trial of the plows alluded
to j. M. HURT.
January 7, 1871.
We the iug es in the "PIow Trial. on the farm of
Mr.. y. O. Williams, published in the Wing, hereby
certify that it directed to be sent TO that journal
as communication by the judges who made the
award.
JMHURT,
FC WILLIAMS
W CHRISTIAN,
JB WILLIAMS
JAS s GILLIAN
January 9, 1871.
do not believe in plow trials made by the manu-.
facurers 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 not been able to supply the de-
mand, nor fill my orders for sometime, and must
leave feld-trias where they rightly belong--to farm
ers themselves.
p H sTARKE,
ap 13-w3m No 1440 Main street.