The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-10-16
THE STEAM PLOW.

the Changes Which Must BE Made.
The locomotive had scarcely drawn
the first train of cars over q track
formed of two parallel bars of iron be;
fore inventors turned their minds to
the matter of drawing pillow or q gang
of plows by steam power. 1t is likely
ttat as many horses, mules and oxen
are employed in drawing plows IS
would be required to haul all the prod
ucts of the fields to market. The intro
duction of railroads greatly reduced
the number of draft animals that farm
ers were once required to keep by do
ing much of the work they once per-
formed. The introduction of a steam
pillow would render it possible to raise
large fields OF many kinds of crops
with very few draft animals. or with
none ut all. A locomotive propelled
by steam power that could draw sew
eral plows. might also draw harrows,
cultivators and harvesters. 1t is posi-
BILE. even probable. that a steam loco
motive may be made that will not only
do most of the work in fields now per-
formed by horses and other draft ami
mails. but draw the products of the
farm to the nearest railway station or
steamboat landing. If such an inven-
ton is ever perfected. as great reyo-
luton will be produced in farming as
the railroad produced in the old meth
DDS of transported on by means OF draft
animals.
Steam blowing by means of q trac.
ton engine. or rather by the use of
two engines. one placed at each ex-
tremity of the field to be plowed, has
for many years been a success on few
large estates in England and in few
countries on the continent of Europe.
This method of steam blowing is cost
". and is not applicable to small farms.
The engines are expensive. and wire
cables equal in length to that of the
field to be plowed are necessary. The
engines must be moved every time the
gang of plows is driven across the
field. The plows must be guided by
hand. SO that about as many men ere
required to pillow by steam power as
when draft animals are employed. The
saving is in the use of draft animals
and their feed. This is parity balanced
by the cost OF fuel. In England. how
ever. soft coal suitable for iir.ng on en-
gines is very cheap. while horse feed
and horse flesh. ARE dear. Machinery
made of metal is cheaper there. and
the wages of farm laborers lower. All
these rcumstances are favorable to
the use of the steam plow. and have
to whatever success it has
achieved. Still. the use of the steam
pillow in any European country is quite
limited. and there is little to warrant
the conclusion that it is increasing.
The coming steam pillow is likely to
Be a locomotive that lays its own
track and takes it up again as it
moves along over the ground. or
one that has very wide wheels that will
enable it to move over tolerably soft
ground without sinking into it. Ex-
periments are now being made by in
ventors in this city with steam plows
operated on these principles OF course
no steam pillow will spring into state
of perfection at once. 1t will be. like
the locomotive that runs on railway
tracks and the stationary engine. a
thing OF tolerably slow growth. When
one is constructed that performs toler-
ably good work at cost not greater
than that which attends blowing with
horses its success may be considered
rs assured. Given the correct princi-
plc of operating it and improvements
will 5e sure to be made. Many who
are not capable of inventing the lead
ing principle of machine are capable
of making improvements. Practical
tests will show what difficulties are
20 be overcome and what changes
must be made. From present appear
lnces q successful steam plow will be
he browning glory of the nineteenth
century. Chicago inns.