This cylinder, CV, before the cavities are made, is fixed on an iron axle, LL, one inch square, and turned very true, as well as are those parts of the axle which turn in the collars, or thimbles, fixed in the shafts or handles DI), (Plate VII. Fig. 3.) To the ends of the axle are fixed two wheels WW, 26 inches diameter, that turn the axle and cylinder round; which, in passing through, the hopper II, (fillcd with turnip seed,) bring forward in each cavity a number of seeds, and chop them into the spout P, which are conveyed by it to the coulter C, that forms a channel on the top of the one bout ridge, SD, (Plate VII. Fig. 5.) for receiving them, here S is the channel, and D the dung directly under the seeds.
If the cavities be made to hold 5 seeds, when the re gulator or tongue is screwed close down, and there be 12 cavities, it will then deposit GO seeds in one revolu tion ; and as the diameter of the wheel is 26 inches, the circumference will be in cuffs case 60 seeds will be deposited in 811 inches, or nearly 9 in a foot. From this minimum quantity, by screwing up the regulator, the number may be increased gradually to 30 or 4U in a foot ; which is far too much, unless in very particular and unfavourable situations.
We shall now give a description of a drill, upon a new construction, for sowing all kinds of grain, in quantity, and at any distance.
The inside part of the drill, by which the quantity of seed is regulated, is represented by Plate VII. Fig. 1. where AX is an iron axle, I or 11 inch square, upon which are fixed, at 9 or lu inches distance, five, six, or more, brass-fluted cylinders, the flutes being rather more than a semicircle * of an inch diameter, or wide, and deep.
RBI are hollow cylindrical rims of hammered iron, which have segments turned down at right angles, to fit exactly the flutes of the brass cylinders ; the cavities of which are increased or diminished by the segments of the iron cylindrical rims sliding backwards or forwards in the flutes. This is performed in all the cylinders at the same time, by a rectangular space (n) being made in the brass cylinders, thiough which passes a straight piece of iron IN, moving on friction wheels at I, and fastened to the places at LK, and also to the cylindrical rims RA1.
LV is a lever, the fulcrum of which is F, and moved by a screw S passing through the frame at V. The end at LK is forked, in which are fixed two friction wheels, made to fit exactly the sides of the collar, or plates of iron JK.
By turning the screw 5, the lever moves the whole of the rims at once, and the cavities are increased or dimi nished at pleasure, and almost instantaneously, to sow any kind of grain, and in any proportion, which is shown upon the scale EOP.
Since the first invention of this drill, some improve ment and alterations have been made, particularly in hanging the coulters, so as to act entirely independent of each other, and deposit the seed properly on the most uneven ground ;—a drill of this kind, to sow seven rows, is represented on Plate VI. Fig. 12. The seed is con veyed from the cylinder clown the tin funnels F, to the coulter CL ; this coulter is fixed by a hinge at H, and is kept in its proper position by the iron bar BD, which is fixed to the coulter at C by a bolt, and plays up and down the sloping board EG, to which it is confined by the iron staples SS :—These coulters are easily set to any width of interval, by taking out the staples, and placing them in their proper holes in the slope-board EG; these holes are usually made to answer the intervals of 9, 101, and 12 inches. The hinges H remove with equal readiness to answer the above intervals.
The iron bars have several square holes in them for inserting spring cotterels, by which any degree of play is given to the coulters that may be thought ne cessary.
The index, or scale, for regulating the quantity, is seen through the arched space at I.
When the machine is drawn by two horses, the shaft horse is yoked at N, and the other at M; but when drawn by one horse, the bar MN takes off by loosening the screw 0, and the shafts are fixed to the middle of the bar, the end of which is seen at H. Any particular row is prevented from solving, by putting in the slots, ; and the whole are prevented from solving, by a small pinion, N, being detached from another placed upon the nave of the this is done in an instant by moving the small lever, or key K.
Fur Turuips.—The large hopper is taken off, and a set of small ones fixed upon the half-egg cavities at the end of the brass cylinders: the quantity is regulated by a tongue screwing up and down, as described in the turnip drill, (Plate VII. Fig. I.) For sowing beans or pease at wide intervals, Niz. from 27 to SO inches, I use a drill with only one wheel and one cylinder, which a man wheels before him in the furrow, or (what I find much better) it may he fixed in the body or a small plough, with one stilt, that passes be tween the wheel and seed-box, (Plate VII. Fig. 6.) By this means the wheel moves along a smooth surface between the land-side, and mould-board Al, and the seed is deposited at a regular depth : two inches answer very well for beans. With the same small plough and drill I have sown both wheat and barley, at different inter vals, from 6 to 12 inches, and 11 or 2 inches deep, with good success; and for small concerns, this cheap and simple apparatus will probably be found the most eligi ble.