Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-23
Speed the PlOw.

Speed the PlOw.
The plow, simple implement as IL seems,
and easy to use, embodes, in its perfection,
nearly as much science, study and mechan-
ical skill as the steam engine. To be good
plowman, master of the business, able to
handle any kind Of plow and get the best
work possible out of ito know Just what
notifications are needed in the implement
in different soils and situations and with
different teams--requires as much knowl-
edge and skill as it does to make good
locomotive engineer. Perhaps no imple-
ment is the subject of as much study, or is
undergoing at the present time more radical
improvement, than the plow. And now we
want to say that probably no machine is 80
poorly understood by the majority of those
who run it as the plow. A really good
plowman, even with only one kind of plow,
on one kind of land with one kind of team,
is rarity. We do not suppose that there
are ten good plowmen to town, on an
average. in New England to-day-men who
are complete adopts at the business in all
its departments. One of the most thorough
students of the plow, and the most practical
and skilled plowman within our knowledge
is the editor of the New England Former
a man well known in this state-our genial
honest friend, A. w. Cheever of Sheldon.
vile, Massachusetts,. He has recently printed
an article on "What is good Flowing p
which is so instructive that we give it be-
low with very little abbreviation, hoping
that our readers will study it with as much
pleasure and instruction as we have done
Promising that plows made many years
ago, of the old Landslide patterns, will turn
as smooth and fiat furrow as any OF
modern make, Mr.. Cheever claims that with
the introduction of disc harrows, fiat fur
rows are no longer needed or desirable, and
declares the swivel plow the leading plow in
New England.
AS our readers are already aware" says
Mr.. Cheever, 1--WE are very much in favor OF
the swivel plow, not only for hillside, but
also for turning level land. Since the NOV.
ing-machine has found place on almost
every farm, and division fences and small
fields are growing unpopular, those plows
and other implements which leave the land
unbroken by ridges and dead furrows, are
rapidly gaining favor. One need only glance
at the advertising pages Of any New Eng
land agricultural journal, to see what plows
sell among our hills and valleys. Western
manufacturers have made great improve
ment in the Landslide plow within the past
few years, and many of their new plows
have been sold in New England, but the
swivel plow, we believe, is the leading plow
with our foremost farmers. There are yet
a great many old-fashioned plows in use
that ought to be melted and run over into
better forms. A carpenter who should use
tools as far behind the age as are some OF
the plows that are still in use, would find il
difficult to obtain employment. We not
only use plows that are out Of date, but we
use the points till they are so dull that good
work is absolutely impossible.
"One inquirer writes that he has never
yet found any swivel plow with which he
could do as good work as he can do with
some of the Landslide plows, and wishes us
to inform him whether among the newer
patterns of swivel plows, there is one that
ought to suit farmer who is accustomed tc
the use of Landslide plows. Now, we hardly
know just how to answer such question
Workmen often become very much attached
to tools with which they are familiar. How
many farmers honestly believe they have
the best moving machine that is made
simply because they happen to have one Of
great many good machines, though they
know very little of the character OF any ex
cept their own. Their own machine they
have become familiar with, and are capable
Of getting all the work out of it that it 1,
able to perform. Now, every plowmar
knows that before he can get the best worl
out Of any plow, he must have learned tn,
feel of the plow, just as the mower must
get the hang of the scythe. There pos
sibly may be best way for scythe Il
hang, but a good workman can adapt him
self to different methods of hanging 81
can good plowman do good work with
more than one form OF plow, after he ha'
become familiar with it. 1t is not an easy
matter, however, for every one to plow with
a swivel plow at the first attempt. Even II
they make fair work turning the right hant
furrow, they are almost certain to balk OF
the return.
ave have had good deal of experience
introducing swivel plows to novices, and
have found great many farmers who ooult
not turn good left hand furrow. They
really believed that the plow was imperfect
when the fault was wholly in themselves
No man can ever do frst-class work with
swivel plow, until he becomes familiar with
the feel Of left-handed plow. In soms
parts OF Pennsylvania, it is the custom
among German farmers TO use lefthanc
plows, and they would undoubtedly fine
fault with our swivel plows, but would com
plain Of the right-hsnd furrow.
"Not alive were about 10 say, not hall
the men who use plows know how Il