As to the Spindles of the Turnep-boxes, I have often made them with a mix’d Metal, of half Pewter, and half Spelter, which perform very well, and are easily made; because this Metal will melt, almost as soon as Lead, in a Fire-shovel, to be cast in a Mould; but Brass will not melt without a Crucible.
The first Idea that I form’d of this Machine, was thus: I imagin’d the Mortise, or Groove, brought from the Sound-board of an Organ, together with the Tongue and Spring, all of them much alter’d; the Mortise having an Hole therein, and put on upon one of the Iron Gudgeons of the Wheelbarrow; which Gudgeon being enlarg’d to an Inch and an half Diameter, having on it the Notches of the Cylinder of a Cyder-mill, on that Part of it which should be within the Mortise, and this Mortise made in the Ear of the Wheelbarrow (thro’ which the Gudgeon usually passes), made broad enough for the Purpose; this I hoped, for any thing I saw to the contrary, might perform this Work of Drilling; and herein I was not deceived.
As for placing a Box over this Mortise to carry a sufficient Quantity of Seed, it was a thing so obvious, that it occasion’d very little Thought; and an Instrument for making the Chanels, not much more; neither for applying Two Wheels, one at each End of the Axis, instead of the single Wheel in the Middle of the Axis of the Wheelbarrow.
At first my Plough made open Chanels, and was very rude, being composed of Four rough Pieces of Planks, of little Value, held together by Three Shoots, or Pieces of Wood, which held them at a Foot Distance one from the other; These Pieces, being cut sharp at Bottom, made the Chanels tolerably well in fine Ground. But I soon contrived a Plough with Four Iron Shares, to make Chanels in any Ground: This drew a Hopper after it, having Four Seed-boxes at its Bottom, carried on a Spindle by Two low Wheels, which had Liberty to rise and sink by the Clods that they pass’d over: The Seed-boxes delivered their Seed immediately into the open Chanels.
Plate. 3
P. 344
W Thorpe sculp.
This Plough and Hopper were drawn by an Horse, and the Seed, lying open in the Chanels, was covered sometimes by a very light Harrow, and sometimes by an Hurdle stuck with Bushes underneath it.
I soon improv’d this Plough to perform better, and to make Six Chanels at once, and sometimes a great many more.