On February 21, 1865 John Deere (blacksmith) received a patent for ploughs. He founded Deere & Company in 1837, which still is a major player in agricultural technology. He invented the first commercially successful steel plow.
Deere found that cast-iron plows were not working very well in the tough prairie soil of Illinois. Deere discovered that a plow made out of highly polished steel and a correctly shaped moldboard (the self-scouring steel plow) would be better able to handle the soil conditions of the prairie, especially its sticky clay.
Deere insisted on making high-quality equipment. He once said, “I will never put my name on a product that does not have in it the best that is in me.
Patent Information
Publication number: US46454 A
Patent Title: Improvement in plows
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: Feb 21, 1865
Inventors: John Deere
