The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-01
STARKE'S DIXIE PLOW.

DY INvITATIoNfoF MR.. +. @. WILLIAMS, OF
ID the county of Nottowsy, number of gem
tlemen assembled at his residence Saturday, Decem-
Der TO- tost by practical experiment the compar-
alive value Of the DIXIE PLoW, manufactured by
starke & Co., and any other that might enter. the
The plows were taken to the field at half past two
P. M. the following gentlemen acting as judges +.
W. Epes j. D. Williams, Robert Scott, Jas. 8. Gil.
liam, VIM. T. Christian, Richard Epes DIR. Daring
Sidney Graves Walton sydnor, +. G. Williams, d.
N. seay, and ]. M. Hurt. Mr.. 8. Graves and Walton
Sydnor were the principal plowmen Mr.. W. sydnor
working the Watt pillow and 8. Graves the Dixie
both of whom handled them wi tn mastery skill and
success.
The plows entered were the Dixie two-horse right
and lefthand plows, and the Watt two-horse left
hand. Soon after the trial commenced, tho beam of
the Dixie righthan broke in two and 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 as the plows
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 a we-trodden, tenacious clay, with timo-
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 new conner. as the contest
waxed 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 representative present, and both
plows did WELL yet the trial. with the award of the
Judges, is deemed of sufficient Importance to the in
terest of agriculture to justify its publication.
of the Dixie on the following grounds:
LIST. 1t cut deeper furrow.
I'd. 1t cut wider furrow.
3D. 1t more effectually inverted the sod.
9TH. 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
pleased as TO determine to order them for
their own use. j. M. 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 bad never Eeen
the paper and knew nothing of its contents and was
in wise party to the trial of the pows alluded
to j. M. HURT.
January 7, 1871.
We, the Judges in the "Plow Trial." on the farm of
Mr.. Il. O. Williams, published in the Wing, hereby
certify that it directed to be sent to that journal
award.
JMHURT,
FC WILLIAMS,
w 7 CHRISTIAN,
D WILLIAMS,
JAS GILLIAN.
January Q, 1871.
do not believe in pillow trials made by the manu-
facturers themselves, but hope that every farmer
will at once make a full trial of the DIXIE with
every pillow he find and buy that which does the
best work. 1 have not been able to supply the de-
mand, nor fill my orders for sometime, and must
leave fed-trials where they rightly belongto farm
ers themselves.
PHI STARKE
ap 13--w3m No 1440 Main street.