CanyonAg,

If memory serves me correctly, you/your father had a significant collection of antique tractors.

I have a piece of equipment that I cannot identify and was hoping you could help. The only markings I can find include "The John Deere Plow Company St. Louis, MO" and "Magnolia #3". It is an old cane syrup mill that legend has it was brought to Texas via covered wagon in 1873.

My plan is to restore this old mill and then make some sweet sorghum syrup with my dad, and sons. I'm wanting to make certain the paint scheme is period correct. My biggest issue is I can't find an image on the internet of the actual mill I have. There are several that are similar, just not this one specifically.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Well, howdy. Yes, Dad had a collection, but we dispersed most of it, we really didn't have the ability to keep it going.

Sorry, I'm drawing a bit of a blank on the mill. I think there's one down in the Hale County Farn And Ranch Museum, but I don't think it's a Deere. And I don't recall seeing anything in any John Deere book or magazine I've seen.

Your best bet might be posting on a collector web site and asking the question.

Sorry.

All of my google searches are coming up empty. My wife's great uncle has been restoring tractors for decades so I'm actually going to visit with him in about an hour to get his thoughts.

I'm beginning to think I may have a unicorn with the lack of information out there.

Give this a try...

https://www.deere.com/en/our-company/history/

Quote:

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Can you identify a vintage product for me?
Sometimes. The John Deere Archives can research your product and attempt to identify what it is and when it was built. To identify products including plows, planters, wagons, and more, send an email to history@johndeere.com For our research staff to search, we do require some specific information, including:

• Color photos of the equipment in question (preferably sides, front, rear, and any special markings and/or numbers).
• Any casting/part numbers that can be found.

A typical response, if we can identify the product, can include a copy of advertising, an explanation of how we identified the product, and information we can discover about when it was produced.

---

Also:

https://www.amazon.com/American-Cane-Mill-Machines-Manufacturers/dp/0786459794

About the only thing I have to offer is to search for "cane" mills, as opposed to "sorghum".

And I can dig up some stuff on a John Deere "Amazon" cane press, but no "Magnolia".

I grew up in SE Texas we grew sugarcane and made syrup there at mom and dad's every year. After my grandfather passed away, there wasn't the strong desire to keep making syrup, so the mill sat for 10-12 years on its stand. About 15-20 years ago we pulled it down and put it under dad's barn.

The agreement is that once I get it restored, we will make some syrup (probably sorghum) and dad wants to participate with his grandsons.

I reached out to the folks at Deere at the address above yesterday, I'm really hoping they can shed some light on it.

Deere got back in touch with me yesterday and sent me over some of the sales literature from a 1920's catalog (the last time it appeared in their archives).

Was really surprised how quickly they responded.

It was a Model 2 which only required 1 horse to turn the spindle to operate it.

Wow. We have an old JD trailer I should check on, then.