[Fig. 12.] is one End of the hinder Hopper laid open. I call it one End (altho’ it be an intire Box by itself) because this Hopper is supposed to have its middle Part cut out, to have a clearer Sight of the Plough, and fore Hopper; as is seen in [Fig. 15.] which is the whole Hopper in Two Parts. In this [Fig. 12], A is the Inside of one End of the Hopper, made with several Pieces of half-inch Elm-board nail’d on to the Post c a, on the fore Side; which Post is a little more than half an Inch square, and Seventeen Inches and Three quarters long, being the Depth of that Part of the Hopper which holds the Seed. B is the fore Side of this Hopper; which must be nail’d on to the said Pod, being of the same Length with it, and Four Inches broad, and half an Inch thick; and this is the Part which on its Outside goes against the right-hand Standard of the Plough, when it is at Work. The other Post b d, of the same Thickness with the former, is nail’d in within half an Inch of the opposite Edge of this End; to which Post also C being nail’d, makes the hinder Side of this Part of the Hopper. C is Four Inches broad, and half an Inch thick; and both it, and the Post to which it is to be nail’d, are something longer than its opposite Side, because the Side B makes right Angles with the Top and Bottom of the Hopper; but the hinder Side C makes oblique Angles with the Top and Bottom of the Hopper; and the Reason of this is, because when the Hopper is full of Seed, it may be equally pois’d on the Spindle; which it could not be without this Bevel, unless the Bottom of the Hopper did come as much behind the Spindle as before it; and that would hinder the Person that follows the Drill, from seeing the Seed fall out of the Seed-box into the Funnel; and that Part of the Bottom which is before the Spindle cannot be made shorter, because that Part of the Seed-box which is before the Spindle, is (upon account of its Tongue) much longer than the Part of it which is behind the Spindle. ’Tis true that when the Hopper is empty of Seed, it cannot be thus pois’d; but then, being so light, it does not require it. e f g h is a Piece of a Board, nail’d on to that Part of the End A, which is below the Bottom of the Cavity which holds the Seed, and is commonly plac’d a little cross the Grain of the Board to which it is nail’d, and serves to strengthen it, and keeps the Hole i from splitting. The upper Edge e f of this added Piece of Board is exactly the Length of the Bottom of the Hopper, whereto the Brass Seed-box is fastened; and this Bottom, together with its Seed-box under it, being put into its Place, bears upon this Piece from e to f, which holds Up the right Side of the Bottom, and keeps it from sinking downwards; as the lower Ends of the Two mention’d Posts, and the fore and hinder Side B and C nail’d to them, prevent its rising upwards.
The Manner of making the Hole i is as follows: Place the Seed-box with its fore End at e, and hinder End at f, with the Base of its Cylinder (or great Hole) against this added Piece of Board, and its upper Edge exactly the Height of the Edge e f; then, with a Pair of Compasses put thro’ the Cylinder of the Seed-box, mark round the inner Edge of its Base upon the added Board; then take off the Seed-box, and find the Centre of the mark’d Circle; and then with a Tool call’d a Centre-bit, of the right Size, bore the Hole quite thro’ the double Board; and this Hole will be in the right Place, and of the same Diameter with the Spindle; but in case there is to be a Brass Wreath on that Part of the Spindle which is to turn in this Hole, then the Hole must be bor’d of the same Diameter with that Part of the Wreath which is to enter it; and that may be perhaps near a quarter of an Inch longer than the Diameter of the Spindle, upon which it is fastened.
This End A, thus bor’d and shap’d, is a Pattern for its Opposite, and for the other Two Opposites of the other Cavity, which holds the Seed at the other End of the Hopper.
When the Opposite of A (with the Two Posts whereto the fore Side B, and the hinder Side C, are nail’d, and having a like Piece of Board in its lower Part with a like Hole in it) is added, and when the Bottom (Four Inches broad), with its Seed-box under it, is thrust in at f by the prick’d Lines, until it reach e, bearing on one Side upon the Piece of Board e f g h, and the other Edge of the Bottom bearing in like manner upon the opposite Piece, then this Cavity of the Hopper, which will contain about Two Gallons of Seeds, will be finish’d.
Note, The Bottom must make a right Angle with the Two fore Posts, having the Side B perpendicular to it.
D is a Part of the Board which comes out farther than the Hopper, in order to hold a Bar at k; which being fastened there, and in like manner to the Opposite of this Board, this Bar bearing against the fore Part of the Standard, the Hopper and its Wheels are in part drawn by it.
Into the Notch l is fastened one End of a long Bar, which passes the whole Length of the Hopper, and holds the upper Part of its Two Cavities in their Places, as is seen mark’d D, in [Fig. 15.]
E is Part of the Board which comes before the Hopper, and whereto one End of a Piece of Wood is fastened by Nails or Screws, which bearing against the fore Part of the Standard, and against its Inside, the Hopper is in part drawn and guided by it, as shall be shewn in [Fig. 15.]
[Fig. 13.] shews the Outside of the Figure last describ’d. A is the Standard by which this End of the Hopper is drawn, in the manner as it is here placed. B is one End of the Spindle passing thro’ the Hopper and Seed-box. C the Bottom, having the Seed-box fastened on to it, with one Screw before, and another behind, with their Nuts underneath, and the Heads of their Screws very thin, and the Pins square at Top, that they may not turn in the Wood; and their Heads must either be let into the Wood, even with the Surface, or else the Sides B C of the Hopper must be cut for these Heads of the Screws to pass in under them.