Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
62. Triangular Scraper, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tool. Gift of
N. Auth Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
63. Hand Meat Hook, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tool. Gift of N.
Auth Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
64. Meat Hooks, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tool. Gift of N. Auth
Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
65. Carcass Spreader, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tool. Gift of
N. Auth Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
66. Carcass Spreader, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tool. Gift of
N. Auth Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
67. Meat Pins, 1879. USNM 130572; 1942. Butcher's tools. Gift of N. Auth
Provision Company, Washington, D. C.
[Illustration: Figure 7.--Babcock butterfat tester, about 1895. (Catalog
No. 68.)]
68. Babcock Butterfat Tester, about 1895. USNM 173353; 1946. A machine
used in determining the amount of butterfat in milk or cream. The
Vermont Farm Machine Company of Bellows Falls, Vermont, made the
centrifuge, which mixed sulphuric acid with the milk in order to
produce a reading of the amount of butterfat tested. The Brighton Farm
at Patuxent River, Montgomery County, Maryland, used this machine around
1895. Stephen M. Babcock developed this tester in 1890 and released it
to the public, without patent, in 1891. The device had far-reaching
effects in the dairy industry, because for the first time it allowed
accurate payment to farmers for the actual amount of butterfat in their
milk; also, it allowed farmers to test their cows to discover which ones
produced the most butterfat. Gift of Sidney S. Stabler, Hyattsville,
Maryland.
69. Buggy Rake, 1840. USNM 175393; 1947. The buggy rake harvested grain
after it had been cut with a cradle. The rake has handles and a wheel,
like a wheelbarrow, with long wooden tines in front to scoop up the
grain. When the binder stepped on a bar at the back of the buggy the
tines would move up and allow the grain to slide back against the
uprights in a convenient position for binding. Although it undoubtedly
reduced the physical labor of binding, this rake would not have been
very efficient and would have allowed the reaper to get far ahead of
the binder. Gift of F. B. Day, Owosso, Michigan.
70. Model of Plow, about 1885. USNM 179841; 1949. The model has a share,
standard, and moldboard of metal with a gauge wheel on the beam. The
beam pivots on the standard, allowing adjustments of the angle of draft.
The end of the beam is fastened to a brace which extends to the back of
the moldboard. The share and point are in one piece; and the moldboard
is one piece. The model resembles the plows of James Oliver, which by
1885 had been widely known and were quite possibly copied. Donor
unknown.
71. Diorama of Tropical Banana Plantation, late 19th century. USNM
186623; 1950. The diorama shows bananas being harvested and trees being
cut. The banana bunches get to the railroad cars on burros. At the
bottom, bananas are shown in various stages of growth and ripening. Gift
of United Fruit Company, Washington, D. C.
72. Diorama of Tropical Coffee Plantation, late 19th century. USNM
186553; 1950. The diorama shows coffee berries being dried in the sun
and in the shade in preparation for marketing the coffee. At the bottom,
various stages of growth and ripening of the coffee berries are
depicted. Gift of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A & P),
New York, New York.
73. Food-Slicing Machine, mid 19th century. USNM 188878; 1950. Cutting
knives, set in helix in a wooden axle, move the meat through the box,
cutting it finer and finer. Gift of George Murphy, Washington, D. C.
74. Fanning Mill, about 1860. USNM 192872; 1951. A hand-crank operated
the winnowing mill for separating grain from chaff and beans from hulls.
A four-blade, wooden fan, shaped like a paddle wheel, blows a draft
below oscillating screens. The chaff is blown off from the threshed
grain, and the grain or beans fall from the screens into the path of the
draft. The screens catch any straw left after threshing. Gift of Arden
Wilson, Harrisville, West Virginia.
[Illustration: Figure 8.--Two-row corn planter, about 1854. (Catalog No.
75.)]
75. Two-Row Corn Planter, about 1854. USNM 193259; 1952. This
hand-operated planter, of a type patented by S. Malone on January 3,
1854, was sold by William M. Plant, a dealer in seeds, tools, and
machines at St. Louis, Missouri. When the planter was dropped to the
ground, the two handles moved about 8 inches in a slot toward the
outside. This movement opened a space for the corn to drop into the
shoe, where a small piece of wood opened and the corn fell to the
ground. Gift of Warren Hammond, Fayette, Missouri.
76. Model of Ferguson Tractor, 1952. USNM 193939; 1952. This plastic and
metal model of a Ferguson tractor operates a Ferguson hitch. Gift of
Topping Models, Inc., Akron, Ohio.
77. Model of Two-Disk Plow, 1952. USNM 193939; 1952. A plastic and metal
model of a two-disk plow for a Ferguson tractor. Gift of Topping Models,
Inc., Akron, Ohio.
78. Model of New Idea Mower, 1952. USNM 193939; 1952. A cast-iron model
of a New Idea mower with an operating pitman for use behind a tractor.
Gift of Topping Models, Inc., Akron, Ohio.
79. Model of New Idea Manure Spreader, 1952. USNM 193939; 1952. A
plastic and metal model of a New Idea, tractor-drawn manure spreader.
Gift of Topping Models, Inc., Akron, Ohio.
80. Model of New Idea Corn Picker, 1952. USNM 193939; 1952. A plastic
and metal model of a one-row, tractor-drawn corn picker. Gift of Topping
Models, Inc., Akron, Ohio.
81. Tiling Spade, 1952. USNM 193940; 1952. This hand-forged steel spade
has a bit with three tines. This style spade was invented around 1895
and was widely used for digging trenches for drain tiles on sticky or
mucky soil. The Osmundson Forge Company of Webster City, Iowa, made
these spades as late as 1952. Gift of A. G. Osmundson, Webster City,
Iowa.
82. Glass Churn, about 1900. USNM 193941; 1952. This German-made churn,
of 4-liter capacity, has a hand crank which drives a metal propeller at
the bottom in one direction while paddles on the shaft turn in the other
direction. Gift of A. G. Osmundson, Webster City, Iowa.
83. Cedar Sap Spouts, about 1800. USNM 194893; 1952. Sap spouts, made
of cedar, about 15 inches long. Spouts like these were made and used by
settlers of upper New York about 1800 to gather the maple sap after the
trees had been tapped. Gift of Frank E. Olmstead, Potsdam, New York.
84. Cedar Sap Spouts, about 1800. USNM 194893; 1952. Sap spouts for
maple tree tapping, about 15 inches long and made of cedar. The maple
syrup and sugar industry provided some income for frontier farms, as
well as providing sugar for domestic use. Although maple syrup often
sold at high prices, the industry never achieved major importance even
in the localities where it flourished. These spouts are of the sort used
in the pioneer period in New York. (See also Nos. 83, 85-87.) Gift of
Frank E. Olmstead, Potsdam, New York.
85. Iron Sap Spout, possibly late 19th century. USNM 194893; 1952. A
cast-iron maple sap spout, about 3 inches long, used for gathering the
sap into buckets. Possibly factory-made and used later than the frontier
period, after maple syrup manufacture had become a commercial
enterprise. The leading areas for maple syrup have long been Ohio, New
York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Gift of Frank E. Olmstead, Potsdam,
New York.
86. Iron Sap Spout, possibly late 19th century. USNM 194893; 1952. A
thin, metal trough, plated, and about 3 inches long, used to convey
maple sap from the tap in the tree to the sap bucket. This is the type
spout most commonly used today in those areas where farmers supplement
their income with maple syrup production. Gift of Frank E. Olmstead,
Potsdam, New York.
87. Sap Bucket Spikes, possibly late 19th century. USNM 194893; 1952.
Hand-made iron spikes used to hold buckets for maple tree sap. They had
to be hooked somewhat so the bucket could hang on them well. Gift of
Frank E. Olmstead, Potsdam, New York.
88. Diagram of Jefferson Moldboard, 1798. USNM 198605; 1953. A
three-dimensional wire diagram, at half scale, illustrating Thomas
Jefferson's design of a plow mold-board as he described it in a letter
to Sir John Sinclair in 1798. In the same year Jefferson read a paper to
the American Philosophical Society that was titled "Description of a
Mold-Board of the Least Resistance and of the Easiest and Most Certain
Design." The wire diagram was constructed by the Division of Crafts and
Industries, Smithsonian Institution.
89. Model of Jefferson Moldboard, 1798. USNM 198605; 1953. The model
consists of four separate blocks of wood cut to show the progressive
steps in the construction of the Jefferson moldboard: (1) the block of
wood marked for sawing with the rear section cut out, and in two parts;
(2) the block of wood sawed on two diagonals, with the rear section cut
out, and in three parts; (3) the block of wood sawed transversely on
guide lines down to the diagonals, with the wood between the transverse
cuts removed and leaving the face of the moldboard roughly shaped; (4)
the rear surface of the board produced in the same manner as the front,
resulting in a completed moldboard. The models were constructed by the
Division of Crafts and Industries, Smithsonian Institution, after
Jefferson's original moldboard, located at the Natural History Museum,
Paris, France.
90. Wooden Curd Breaker, about 1860. USNM 198617; 1953. This curd
breaker is made of wood with iron pegs in the cylinder and hopper. Gift
of Laurence Hathaway, Easton, Maryland.
[Illustration: Figure 9.--Grain cradle in use in the field.
International Harvester Corporation photo. (Catalog No. 91.)]
91. Grain Cradle, about 1844. USNM 198620; 1953. Caleb Paul Duval used
this cradle on his Glen Echo farm near Baltimore, Maryland. Gift of
Virginia Duval, College Park, Maryland.
92. Barrel Churn, about 1860. USNM 198620; 1953. A wooden barrel churn
with iron crank and paddles. Such churns were of too small volume to be
used on commercial dairy farms, and they were not at all useful in
creameries, which first appeared in 1861. Gift of Virginia Duval,
College Park, Maryland.
93. Cookie Roller, about 1860. USNM 198620; 1953. A wooden, grooved,
one-handled cookie roller, about 14-1/2 inches long and about 3-1/4
inches in diameter. The roller added an esthetic touch to home-made
cookies but was of little importance in the history of commercial food
processing. Gift of Virginia Duval, College Park, Maryland.
94. Meat Grinder, 1859. USNM 198620; 1953. This iron, hand-cranked meat
grinder was patented August 2, 1859. Gift of Virginia Duval, College
Park, Maryland.
95. Butter Prints, about 1860. USNM 198620; 1953. Two butter prints. One
is circular, with a tri-lobed leaf design and about 3 inches in
diameter; the other is a box mold with two five-point star designs and
about 5 inches long, 2-1/2 inches wide, and 4 inches high. The butter
was pressed into these molds before being served, or, sometimes, before
being rolled in paper and sold in towns. This aspect of farm dairying
quickly disappeared after the creamery dominated the industry. Gift of
Virginia Duval, College Park, Maryland.
96. Shoe Last, possibly mid 19th century. USNM 196820; 1953. A small
last, to fit either foot, for a shoe about 8-3/4 inches long and 2-1/4
inches wide. Such implements were useful in frontier communities and
generally were owned by itinerant cobblers who went from house to house.
Gift of Virginia Duval, College Park, Maryland.
97. Model of Fanning Mill, 1857. USNM 198620; 1953. This is a working
model of a fanning mill invented by Joseph and James Montgomery and
covered by patents 10324, issued in 1853; 13062, issued in 1855; and
16447, issued in 1857. The crank handle and the slide, which governed
the flow into the hopper, are missing. James Montgomery took the model
on sales trips as a demonstrator. Gift of Ruth Montgomery, Peoria,
Illinois.
[Illustration: Figure 10.--McCormick reaper (1831) in use in the field.
Photo courtesy of International Harvester Corporation. (Catalog No.
98.)]
98. Model of McCormick Reaper, 1831. USNM 121526; 1953. A scale model of
the 1831 reaper of Cyrus McCormick, built long afterwards from
descriptions by the inventor. Gift of McCormick Historical Association,
Chicago, Illinois.
99. Bee Colony, 1953 (renewed yearly). A 3-story bee hive with about
60,000 bees. The hive was designed by experts at the Department of
Agriculture Research Station, Beltsville, Maryland. The United States
Department of Agriculture donated the hive and the Italian bees.
100. Model of Ox-Powered Sugar Cane Mill, 1925. USNM 200380; 1954. Model
of a mill of a type used in Puerto Rico as early as 1523. It took ten
men and four yoke of oxen to operate the mill, which could crush about
four tons of cane in a 12-hour day. This type of mill extracted about 40
to 45 percent syrup based on the weight of the cane, compared to 80 to
85 percent extracted by modern mills. Gift of Daniel Thompson,
Petersburg, Virginia.
101. Model of Water-Lifting Wheel, 1884. USNM 200380; 1954. A model of a
wind-driven waterwheel used for raising water into the evaporating beds
in salt works. This type of device lifted water from the ocean in Puerto
Rico. Gift of Daniel Thompson, Petersburg, Virginia.
102. Model of Grist Mill, 1883. USNM 200380; 1954. This model of a
water-powered grist mill resembles those used throughout America in the
19th century before the discovery of the gradual reduction process and
the consequent centralization of the milling industry. This particular
mill, known to have operated from 1883 to 1940, ground corn in Puerto
Rico. Gift of Daniel Thompson, Petersburg, Virginia.
103. Farm Copybook, about 1840. USNM 209042; 1955. Wells Forbes, who had
a farm near Alexandria, Virginia, kept this book for about a year in the
1840s. Gift of Bessie W. Palm, Washington, D. C.
104. Grain Cradle, about 1900. USNM 210597, 1956. Grain cradle used
before 1900. Gift of Jennie Sabrosky, Sturgis, Michigan.
105. Model of Hussey Reaper, 1833. USNM 212910; 1956. A model of the
1833 reaper patented by Obed Hussey and based on the specifications of
the patent. Constructed by the Office of Exhibits, Smithsonian
Institution.
106. Horse Spurs, possibly late 19th century. USNM 211312; 1956. Gift of
Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C.
107. Bridle Bits, possibly late 19th century. USNM 211312; 1956. A
rugged type of bridle bit with steel rings used to control horses. This
particular bridle bit may have been used in Texas and Mexico in the
cattle industry. Gift of Catholic University of America, Washington, D.
C.
108. Cow Bell, possibly late 19th century. USNM 211312; 1956. Gift of
Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C.
109. Braided Whip, possibly late 19th century. USNM 211312; 1956. A
home-made horsewhip. Gift of Catholic University of America,
Washington, D. C.
110. Tobacco Clips, possibly late 19th century. USNM 211312; 1956. Seven
clips, each different, denoting a brand for labeling tobacco. Gift of
Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C.
111. Bar Share Plow, 1807. USNM 214608; 1957. A left-handed wooden
moldboard plow. Most American plows cast the furrow to the right. The
Reverend Christian Lesher brought this rare sort of plow from Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, to Washington Township, Pennsylvania, in 1807.
Gift of Daniel Lesher, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.
[Illustration: Figure 11.--Sausage stuffer, early 19th century. (Catalog
No. 112.)]
112. Sausage Stuffer, about 1820. USNM 213816; 1957. This hand-lever
sausage stuffer, mounted on a bench, may have been made in England in
the early 19th century and later brought to Brampton, Ontario. Not all
parts are of the same age. The replaced parts seem to be those most
subject to wear and tear. This style sausage stuffer was quite common in
the 18th and 19th centuries. Gift of Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
113. Meat Grinder, about 1830. USNM 312816; 1957. A hand-cranked meat
grinder made of wood with iron slugs to push the meat against stationary
knives. Overall, 14 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 10 inches high.
Gift of Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
114. Sausage Stuffer, early 19th century. USNM 213816; 1957. This
hand-cranked sausage stuffer, made of wood and with an iron screw, fits
on a small bench with lard press. It is 20 inches long, 8-1/2 inches
wide, and 11 inches high. Gift of Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
115. Lard Press, late 19th century. USNM 213816; 1957. A lard press made
of cylindrical perforated metal, with a screw press to be mounted on a
small bench. The press is 11 inches in diameter and 10 inches high. The
bench is about a yard long, 8 inches wide, and 18 inches high. Gift of
Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
116. Butcher's Table, late 19th century. USNM 213816; 1957. A heavy, low
table made of two thick slabs of wood with a gutter cut along the edges
of the table. Used in cutting up animal carcasses. Some 6 feet long, 34
inches wide, and 24-1/2 inches high. Gift of Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago,
Illinois.
117. Chopping Bowl, late 19th century. USNM 213816; 1957. Elliptical
wooden chopping bowl, some 30 inches long, 17-1/2 inches wide, and 7
inches high. Gift of Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
118. Thresher, about 1855. USNM 214890; 1957. A threshing machine marked
"J. and P. Flickinger, Hanover, Pa., No. 41." It once had a drive for a
vibrating straw separator. Gift of James W. Brown, Brookeville,
Maryland.
119. Grain Cradle, about 1870. USNM 214890; 1957. A grain cradle made at
Brighton, Maryland, by William Nickerson, Jr. The cradle fingers are of
ash, and the braces of hickory. This type of cradle continued in use in
many places even after the advent of harvesting machinery. Farmers with
only small acreages in bread grains or who farmed rough or hilly soil
could not effectively use the reapers and harvester of the middle 19th
century. Gift of James W. Brown, Brookeville, Maryland.
120. Binder's Rake, about 1870. USNM 214890; 1957. The binder followed
the cradler. This hand rake, used by the binder for gathering the grain
before binding and later shocking, had teeth rived out of hickory. Such
a rake could also be used by a binder who followed those the early
reapers used before the invention of the twine binder. Gift of James W.
Brown, Brookeville, Maryland.
[Illustration: Figure 12.--Harpoon hayforks. (Catalog Nos. 121, 123.)]
121. Harpoon Hayfork, late 19th century. USNM 214890; 1957. A
double-harpoon hayfork and pulley for lifting hay from a wagon to a barn
hayloft. Power was supplied by horse or mule. The small barbs on the
harpoon could catch and hold a surprising amount of hay. Gift of James
W. Brown, Brookeville, Maryland.
122. Grain Sack, 1842. USNM 214608; 1957. A grain sack of homespun linen
made from flax grown on the John Lesher farm near Waynesboro,
Pennsylvania. Woven at a roadside mill, the sack has a capacity of three
bushels and is marked "John Lesher, No. 26, 1842." Prior to the advent
of and widespread use of the elevator system of grain handling, nearly
all grain was moved in sacks that had to be shifted about by hand and
stored in warehouses. The elevator system began in Buffalo, New York, in
1842, but reached a position of prominence only in the 1870s when it
began flourishing in Chicago and Milwaukee. Thereafter the grain sack
became virtually a curiosity. Gift of James W. Brown, Brookeville,
Maryland.
123. Single-Harpoon Hayfork, about 1895. USNM 216224; 1957. A hay
harpoon, commonly called a hay needle, about 35-1/2 inches long. Gift of
Cora E. Robinson, Schenectady, New York.
124. Tractor Engine Starter, 1930. USNM 218874; 1958. The starting
device could be bolted to the rear wheel hub of an automobile. An
extendible shaft went from the wheel-fitting to the crank on the
tractor. The car engine then could turn over the tractor engine. The
starter was made by C. O. Goodrich, who marketed it for about eight
years in five midwestern states. Self starters on tractors eventually
ended the need for the device. Gift of C. O. Goodrich, Plymouth,
Indiana.
125. Fordson Crank, about 1925. USNM 218874; 1958. This device was used
to crank the engine on Fordson tractors. Gift of C. O. Goodrich,
Plymouth, Indiana.
126. Milking Machine, 1896. USNM 220004; 1958. A Mehring foot-powered
milking machine. Gift of Earl J. Waybright, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
127. Carey Plow, about 1800. USNM 220005; 1958. A type of plow widely
used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States.
This particular plow was a one-horse, single-bottom, walking type, with
wooden handles, beam, stock, and moldboard. The share point is of iron.
All wooden joints are joined with wooden pegs. There is a bolt-type
brace from beam to stock and a small iron brace with a larger wooden
brace between the handles. Gift of International Harvester Co., Albany,
New York.
128. Hoe, possibly mid 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. Only the blade
remains of this socket-type hoe. Gift of New York Historical
Association, Cooperstown, New York.
129. Log Roller, late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. Oxen drew this
roller in preparing seed beds. The roller crushed clods and compressed
the soil, leaving a firm, compact seed bed. It was useful, obviously,
only on certain types of soil in fairly humid areas. The roller is made
of four log sections, each 23 inches long and 14 inches in diameter. The
logs are set in a weighted frame measuring 35 inches by 9 feet, with a
tongue about 13 feet long. Gift of New York Historical Association,
Cooperstown, New York.
130. Grain Cradle, late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. A form of
scythe used for harvesting grain before the reaper came into use, or
used in places where the reaper proved uneconomical or technologically
inappropriate, as rough or hilly land. This specimen has four wooden
fingers, or tines, that are 45 inches long and spaced 7 inches apart.
The blade is 2 inches wide and as long as the fingers. Gift of New York
Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York.
131. Self-Rake Reaper, 1895. USNM 213356; 1958. A McCormick Daisy Reaper
of 1895 in which the operator sat on a seat mounted on the axle of the
left wheel. Two horses drew the reaper. Three rotating arms with 3-inch
projections raked, bound and shocked the grain. The cutter bar, over 5
feet long, has three triangular sickle blades which oscillate through
the guard teeth, as in Hussey or modern cutter bars. Gift of New York
Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York.
132. Barley Fork, possibly late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. A
rectangular wooden barley fork with a one-eighth-inch-gauge wire guard
for holding the barley on the four tines. The guard was needed because
of the nasty stings that the beard could give the worker. Gift of New
York Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York.
133. Brush Hook, late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. A typical iron
sickle, called a hook because of its general shape. It has a circular
tip on the end of the blade so that it could be used for cutting brush.
Gift of New York Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York.
134. Fanning Mill, late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. An early
fanning mill with pulley and leather belt. Gift of New York Historical
Association, Cooperstown, New York.
135. Scythe, late 19th century. USNM 213356; 1958. A crooked-handled
scythe used for cutting grain before the cradle, and thereafter for
cutting hay. Gift of New York Historical Association, Cooperstown, New
York.
[Illustration: Figure 13.--Flop-over hay rake. (Catalog No. 136.)]