Rural America a Century Ago

St. Joseph, Michigan: American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1980. Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 4to - over 9?" - 12" tall. Large Paperback Bok in Very Good Condition. Clean, stiff, unmarked, glossy, pictorial wrappers in orange, green and black, faint wear to corners; soundly bound, square. Pages cream with decorated border around each page, brown print and brown illustrations of farming implements and items used in rural America of long ago, up to more current times. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers, who produced this book, developed this historic work for the preservation of American heritage. These are a few of the inventions that have moved the nation from pioneer life to a stage where millions may view on television signs of life on Mars. By the turn of the 20th century these inventions have enabled America to develop the most efficient farms in the world. There is a description of these inventions as time progressed, with a timeline for patents for each-for example, the plow, with illustrations of an Egyptian plow and an Assyrian plow, then 1797 as the first patent for a cast iron plow, up to 1884 for a steam engine plow. Descriptions, history and illustrations and patent history are included for many implements and items used in rural America, for example, plows, harrows, cultivators horse rakes, hay forks, reapers, mowers, lanterns, gas burners, telephones, music boxes, washing machines, irons, coaches, harnesses, and many more. A most interesting book. 150 pages. 11 x 8.5 inches. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan, 1980.