Figure 4.—Cotton planter, about 1895. (Catalog No. 37.)
[38.] Cast-Iron Plow, 1854. USNM 150396; 1938. A cast-iron plow made by Stephen McCormick of Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1854. The plow embodies features covered by patents issued to Stephen McCormick on February 3, 1819, January 28, 1826, and December 1, 1837. Plows of this type, made chiefly between 1826 and 1850, involved interchangeable parts. The first patent precedes that of Jethro Wood by seven months, but the principle of interchangeable parts had been worked out and patented as early as 1813. Gift of Leander McCormick-Goodhart, Silver Spring, Md.
[39.] Mehring's Milking Machine, 1884. USNM 148530; 1938. Original working model of a hand-powered milking machine built by William M. Mehring in 1884. Mehring subsequently improved and patented the machine in 1892. The improved machine did not work well because it created continuous suction for the length of the stroke. The successful application of intermittent suction, necessary so as not to injure the cow, was worked out in Scotland in 1902. Gift of Mrs. Bessie D. Mehring, Keymar, Maryland.
[40.] Hand-Powered Milking Machine, 1892. USNM 148530; 1938. Practical hand-pump milking machine designed and built in 1892 by William M. Mehring, who was granted patent 488282 on December 28, 1892. This milker, which injured cows when used rapidly, represents an effort to solve the problem of machine milking, although the use of human power also limited its usefulness. Gift of Mrs. Bessie D. Mehring, Keymar, Maryland.
[41.] Ox Yoke, 1838. USNM 148675; 1938. Edward Scoville (1813-1887) used this ox yoke when driving an ox cart from Trumbull County, Ohio, to De Kalb County, Indiana, in 1838. Until well after the Civil War, oxen pulled most of the wagons going west, and this yoke is typical of all used in the westward migration, in the North as well as in the South. Gift of Reign Scoville, Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
[42.] Deere Plow, 1838. USNM 148904; 1938. John Deere made this plow, with steel share and polished wrought-iron moldboard, at Grand Detour, Illinois, in 1838. Joseph Brierton bought it and used it on his farm, and the Deere Company obtained it in 1901. It is one of three plows made by John Deere in 1838, and presumably it is identical to his first steel share plow, made in 1837 at Grand Detour. Called the singing plow, it proved especially effective in prairie country after the sod had been broken because the earth did not adhere to the share and moldboard. The implement could also be used as a breaking plow. Gift of Deere and Company, Moline, Illinois.
Figure 5.—John Deere plow, one of the three plows made by Deere in 1838. (Catalog No. 42.)
[43.] Model of Sulky Plow, 1899. USNM 156653; 1940. Working model of the Hy-Lift sulky plow invented by Niels O. Starks of Madison, Wisconsin, and made by the Fuller and Johnson Company around 1900. Starks received patent 616984 on January 3, 1899. The land wheel on this plow automatically raises and lowers the plow at the end of a furrow. Gift of S. O. Strucksberg, St. Joseph, Missouri.