Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-05-18
Sarm Copies.
PLOWS AND FLOWING.

Prof. j. w. Sanborn. formerly of Han
over, n. H., but now of the Missouri
State agricultural college, is fertile anc
ingenious in experiments calculated ID
benefit the farmer. His latest bulletin
is devoted to plows and blowing, and hi
observations, based on many careful trials
are summed up as follows:
l. a detection of the traces when
under draft from straight line from tho
shoulder to doube-tree results in 4
decided loss of power.
2. The use of a truck or little whee
under the end of the pillow beam gained
II per cent of the draft. as the ayerage|
OF the trials made, and in addition gave|
more uniform furrow, and relieved the
plowman. This saving can be made only
when line of draft is right
3. The use of the coulter was. with
out exception, attended with decided
loss of force or increased draft by what
ever form of coulter used, but was less
with the new-style coulter than with the|
rolling and old-fashioned coulter The|
average gain of draft by dispensing with
the coulter was 1916 per cent. The
coulter invariably disturbed the line of
draft. resulting in furrow of different
dimensions from those formed without it.
4. The draft of a pillow decreases as|
depth of furrow increases until it feaches|
the plow's normal capacity and then in-|
creases as the depth is increased beyond
this capacity of the pillow. This law isl
modified by the fact that as a furrow
increases in size the ratio of cutting facet
or edge of pillow to the furrow turned
decreases. This fact tends to obscure or|
diminish the obvious increase of draft,
as furrow passes beyond the normal
capacity of a pillow.
3. The draft of a pillow decreases as
width of furrow increases until the nor
nal capacity is reached, after which it
increases again under the same limita-
lions as in previous case of depth, yet it
does not increase in as rapid IA ratio as is
seen in case of depth. The absolute
draft in l5-inch furrow was less than
for l0-inch furrow.
6. The facts related in sections and
show the necessity of intelligently adjust
ing the furrow to the normal capacity of
the pillow or using only plows that will
be normal to the furrow turned. The
loss in draft from furrow varying from
plow's normal capacity by two holes in
the bride or two points, Only was for an
average of all trials of varying widths
and depths, 81 per cent. From the stand
point of draft it is poor economy to turn
small furrow. Three horses are better
than two in blowing.
Z. If we add the savings from the
three factors discussed. truck, coulters
and width and depth, we get 49, per
cent. or pillow with truck on, coulter
off, and blowing good sized furrow will
give this per cent of gain when put
against pillow with coulter on, truck of,
and turning a shallow, narrow furrow, or
rather the latter will draw Az per cent
harder than the former if my data are
correct.
5. a 7Xl4 inch furrow requires about
three horsepower to turn it, or $50
pounds multiplied by three equals $50
pounds. Those who use two horses
either turn a small and costly furrow, or
overdraw their horses upon sod land of
the kind in question under trial.
8. A furrow turned whose size is not
normal to the pillow is usually, if not
always, jerky or uneven one, poor and
hard on the workman.