Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-11
8ailp &tnnfbff 5Ournal.
Augusta. Tuesday Morning. Jan. u.

Aneustes Tuesday 4oTn1ng, Jan. u.
Improvement In Agricultural Ma
chinefy.
One Of the wonders Of the times is the
Kreatimprovement in agricultural machin-
cry. II the telegraph is wonderful for the
Improvement which it has effected in the
means of communication between distant
points, or the railway in the speed and
comfort Of locomotion, so are the mower.
the reaper. the modern plough and seed
sower wonderful in what they have done
to increase the products of agriculture A
lecture recently delivered by Mr.. c. G.
Conin at the Lowell Institute, brings very
promptly into notice the great improve
ment IN agricultural machinery and some
Of its effects.
The primitive plough used by mankind
was forked stick, which did little more
than scratch the surface of the ground.
In Egypt. where civilization has gone
backward. Mr.. Coffin says he has seen
this same old plough in use almost be-
meath the shadow OF the great pyramid
the team consisting Of a donkey and wo-
man yoked together, the husband guiding
the plough and plying his whip to the
team. In 1885 the first cast-iron ploughs
made their appearance. Since that time
improvements have been steadily going
on, until at last we have the gang plough
on the Western prairies. drawn by four
horses, plougbing five acres day, the
ploughman no longer walking, but riding
"a monarch driving bis team aield. 1T
il estimated" says Mr.. Coffin. ''that the
improvements have decreased the cost Of
ploughing not less than 60 per cent, dur
ing the century. The entir. acreage IN
der the plough. in the United States in
1878, is estimated at 100000 acres.
II we assume that it costs one dollar per
aero to plough land. and If the saving
over former methods Is even fifty per cent.
we find it equivalent to S70,OOO.O00! So
much per annum which invention is ac-
comprising in this ole line OF husbandry."
The next thing will be the steam pillow.
In former times the seed was all sown
by hand, the process being slow and i'm
perfect, and the covering afterward with
the harrow very unevenly done. ITO
day." saws Mr.. Coffin. 1.-The Western farm
er rides behind his team, planting fifteen
acres Of corn, the rows running in both
evenly twenty acres Of wheat-every
kernel planted at n proper depth, the
seeder so graduated that each acre shall
receive given amount of seed-not a quart
more or less. I need not stop to dwell
upon the value Of such machinery in agri-
culture; it will be apparent. Under the
old way a man could plant one acre per
day. Invention enables him to increase
his acreage twenty fold"
After the seed sower comes the cult
vator. which has reduced the expense in
the West of raising corn three cents per
bushel. making a saving over the old
method in the raising Of this crop last
year. in the tour States of Ohio. Illinois.
Indiana and Iowa OF S22. 900. 900. At
harvesting the sickle was once the chief
instrument. with which a man could reap
aud bind one third of an acre day. In
1880 man with three horses, riding at
his ease upon his cushioned seat. cuts and
binds twenty acres. and not human hand
touching the grain! The California har-
vcster will cut. thrcsh. winnow and feed
into bags the wheat on fifty acres in one
day. !
all know. and how much it facilitates
haying and lessons the expense. The
other machines mentioned above are not
so well-known to the people of New Eng
land, whose hilly and stony farms are not
adaptc to the use of such implements.
With such great improvements in agricul-
tural machinery it is evident that the
Western country can beat the world in the
production Of grain. and supply the world
II need be. Upon farming in this section
Of the country, where the older. slower.
and more costly methods Of planting. SOW
ing. hoeing and harvesting the grain
crop must necessarily. from the
nature OF the soil and the uneven surface
Of the country. be very largely employed.
the use OF the improved machinery in the
West does no doubt operate disadvan-
tageously; but with the increase OF manu-
featuring interests. improving and eularg
ing the home markets, the farmers of
Maine and other New England States may
find their business rs profitable as before
the West with its labor-ssviug machinery
monopolixed the production Of corn and
grain in this country.