The following information is taken from the Smyth collection in the Suffolk Record Office
1836-38
Order book; sales and servicing
Reference numbers 1658-2057
1840
Adverisement
CORN, SEED, AND MANURE DRILL, & THRASHING MACHINE
MANUFACTORY, ESTABLISHED IN 1800
AT PEASENHALL, NEAR YOXFORD, SUFFOLK.
JAMES SMYTH, Jun.
RESPECTFULLY informs Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Agriculturists in general, that he is sole proprietor of the above establishment, formerly conducted as the firm of SMYTH & SONS, and having had twenty years experience in the business with his Father and for himself, takes this method of soliciting a continuance of that liberal patronage so long evinced towards him, and of the preference shown to his improved LEVER CORN DRILL.
J.S.JUN. having made some very recent improvements to the Drill, now claims unusual attention from Agriculturalists, particular to that appertaining to the Cog Work for DRILLING UNEVEN SURFACES, which not only adds to the appearance of the Machine, but is of the utmost utility in its operations, causing the Cog Wheel on the Barrel that deposits the seeds to work in a central position over the Cog Wheel on the nave, when either ascending or descending a HILL, which was never before accomplished by any other Maker!
The newly invented Additional Box fitted upon Corn and Manure Drills for drilling seeds between the rows of corn at the same time the corn is drilled, is also highly approved by many eminent Agriculturalists who have had them; and it forms a very light Machine when fitted on the frame by itself for drilling seeds only.
J.S.JUN. begs to acquaint the Public that he continues to conduct EVERY BRANCH of the business under his own immediate superintendence, and that his DRILLS are warranted to be made of the very best and choicest materials and workmanship, and on very simple, complete, and approved principles; and by confining his entire business to the manufacturing of DRILLS, only, and from his very extended trade, he is enabled to supply his friends with a very superior article at the reduced prices specified below.
Upwards of two thousand two hundred Corn and Manure Drills having been manufactured at this Establishment, within the last forty years, which having given universal satisfaction, J.S. hopes will be considered as entitling him to public patronage, and assures those gentlemen who may favor him with their orders, that his best attention shall be given to the execution of them. And he begs his friends will be particular in giving all the information possible of the description of land, whether light or heavy; and if very strong, the width of the stetches or ridges, or if ploughed to broad flat-work, whether the land, be very flat or very hilly, particularly if side-hilly; the quantity of each description of grain or seeds usually required per acre, and the width they wish the rows to be apart, particularly beans and peas. Also for MANURE DRILLS, it is right to state the kind of manure likely to be used, width of rows apart, and the quantity per acre. The more information he receives the better he will be able to judge of what will be likely, best to suit those who may oblige him with their orders.
"Upwards of two thousand two hundred Corn and Manure Drills having been manufactured at this Establishment within the last forty years....."
"
The following is a reference to a few of the Persons for whom Orders have been executed
" and included "
His Grace the Duke of Rutland; his Grace the Duke of Newcastle; his Grace the Duke of Leeds, and his Grace the Duke of Portland.
" The extensive list specified numerous people in the counties of Middlesex, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, Kent and as far afield as Shropshire. The list for Suffolk was headed by The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Stradbroke, President of the East Suffolk Agricultural Association, and the Rt. Hon. Lord Huntingfield and included A. Manning, esq; Messrs. White, Wardley, Baldry, Girling, Eay, Kerridge, Baker, Row, Wade and Hurren of Peasenhall.
1847-49
Order book;
Reference numbers 1343-1807
1864
Exhibition at the Royal Agricultural Hall Islington "Stand No. 165
Patent Telescopic Lever Corn and Seed Drill fitted with carriage, steerage, and Broadcast
Clover and Seed Box
Patent Telescopic 10-row and Lever Corn Drill
Fourteen row and Lever Corn Drill
Turnip Mangel Wurzel Seed and Manure Drill
Kaemmerers Patent Broad-cast Corn or Seed Sowing Machine
1882
April Paper entitled /On Machinery For The Sowing of Seed, prepared by James Josiah Smyth for a meeting of the Insstitution of Mechanical Engineers. Extract follows:-
"Corn and Seed Drills - In preparing this paper the writer was anxious to introduce the most improved existing examples: he however deems it not out of place to exhibit before the members a working model of the Suffolk Drill constructed by his father in the year 1838; which will at least serve for comparison, and thus make apparent the advance which has since been attained. Fig. 23, Plate 42, represents the present type of Suffolk Corn Drill; and Figs. 27 to 29, Plates 44 to 46, the writers latest "Nonpareil" design On reference to Fig. 27, Plate 44, it will be seen that a drill is composed of-
1. A seed-box with its seeding apparatus;
2. A frame mounted on two high travelling wheels, the latter furnished with cog gearing for driving the seeding apparatus;
3. Levers with the accompanying coulters, by means of which the seed is deposited in the soil;
4. Conductors, which convey the seed from the seeding apparatus to the coulters;
5. Apparatus for guiding or steering the drill."
"3 The coulter-levers are a main and important feature in the modern drill. Previous to the adoption of the lever system (which originated with the so-called "Suffolk Drill"), all the coulters were fixed in one transverse beam; whereas in this system each coulter is fixed to an independent lever."
"Abstract of Discussion on Machinery for Sowing Seed".
"Mr Smyth exhibited a model of the early Suffolk drill, made forty years ago by his father, who was now in his seventy-fifth year, and was unable to be present in consequence of illness."
"The lever system however was pretty much as it had descended from his grandfather in the year 1800, when he made the first Suffolk lever drill; and it remained so to this day."
1887-98 N
notebook entitled "
Measurements & Weights of Drills, Sowing Machines As Packed For Shipmen
t"
The note book contains details of Destination, Description of Drill etc., Distance between Rows, Name of Consignee or Sender, Order Book Number, Measurements, Cubic Feet, Nett Weight and Gross Weight, it covers the period from 21 August 1877 to 5 January 1898 and gives details of 127 drills or other implements. The list of destinations is includes, Sydney, Canterbury (New Zealand), Lisbon, Odessa (Russia) (the consignee or sender in this case was Ransomes Sims and Co.), Volo (Greece), Madrid, New York, Constantinople (now Istanbul) Turkey, Montevideo (South America), Santiago (Chile), Bombay, Naples (Italy), East London (South Africa), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), San Francisco, Whitewood (Canada), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Algeria.d.
1899-1900
Types of drill from catalogues
1 Patent Suffolk Lever Corn Drill
2 Original Suffolk Pattern Corn Drill (9-18 rows; £25- £38)
3 Patent Medium Nonpareil Corn Drills (8-13 rows; £24-£30)
4 Colonial Nonpareil Corn Drill
5 Mangold Wurzel, Turnip seed and Manure Drill
6 Broadcast Manure Distributor (new patent April 1900)
1911
1 Patent "Medium Nonpareil" Corn Drill (8-14 rows with and without fore-steering)
2 Colonial Nonpareil Corn Drill
3 Patent telescopic conductor (the only perfect closed conductor on the market)
4 Patent Semi Nonpareil Corn Drill (especially for stetchwork)
Patent hopper
Patent gearing
Patent drop bearings
Patent windlass for lifting levers
5 Patent Small Nonpareil Corn Drill (6 and 8 row with fore wheel and steering handles or shafts)
6 Patent Small Holder-Nonpareil Drill (3 and 4 rows for sugar beet, turnip, maize etc)
7 Improved corn, seed & manure General Purpose Drill
8 Broadcast Corn and Seed Sowing Machine
9 Patent Broadcast Manure Distributor.
1955
1 Patent Strong Nonpareil Corn Drill 4ft 7in wheels)
2 Grain and Fertilizer Drill
3 Patent Medium Nonpareil Corn Drill
4 Nonpareil Beet Seed and Root Drill
5 Patents Semi Nonpareil Corn Drill (especially for stetchwork)
1962-3
(i) Model 22 (hydrolics with rubber or steel wheels; 22 row)
The seed hopper was turned round so that the cup feed mechanism could be seen from the tractor seat. This new Smyth seed and corn drill, had an 8 ft 3 in. sowing width and a hydraulic ram to lift and lower the Suffolk coulters, spaced 4.75in apart. There were weights to aid coulter penetration It cost £319 with pneumatic wheels or £270 with wooden or iron wheels.
(ii) Nonpareil Corn Drills (12-16 row with options for 2-6 row side placement drills¸tractor hitch and tyres for road wheels.
1964
Recommended list of 129 spares for agents to stock
1967
The Peasenhall factory closed and Johnson's Engineering continued production of Smyth drills at March. The end of the Smyth traditional cup feed drill came with the launch of a new Johnson Smyth 15 row external force feed combine drill. Perspex inspection windows were fitted in the grain hopper and a winking light warning system alerted the tractor driver when the fertiliser box was nearly empty.