MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 129 



r ully employed in market gardens and nursery grounds, and the matting can 

 also be set up in a frame perpendicularly for the protection of wall fruit." 



The following are brief memoranda of new agricultural instruments brought 

 out during the past year : 



Iron Harrow. This is in two parts, hi the form of a horse shoe, and is expand- 

 ing, and when going to a field it may be turned over forward and rides as 

 though on a sled upon its own frame. 



Improved Horse Rake. The rake is on wheels, with wire teeth, discharging 

 its load by uncatching a latch, and then the teeth are lifted by a strap around 

 the breast of the horse, and held up until past the winnow, when they drop 

 into place by their own weight on checking the horse, or giving the wheels a 

 slight push forward. 



An improvement in the straw carrier of threshing machines has been made 

 by placing strips of iron on the slats, with edges turned up so as to hold the 

 straw loose and allow the grain to fall, and by bringing some of the slats to 

 fall down on the underside of the chain, by which rolls of straw drop through 

 on the back motion. 



Tliompsoris Corn Planter. A corn planter recently invented by L. Thomp- 

 son of Xew Haven. Conn,, has the tollowing peculiarities of construction. It 

 is mounted on two light wheels, and is worked by a horse with the aid of 

 one man or boy, who sits on the box, holding the reins. A great fault with 

 corn planters generally on which, by the way, there are some fifty or more 

 patents is that of leaving the earth loose instead of nicely covering and 

 pressing it down like a farmer's hoe ; another is, that the grains are planted too 

 closely together : both these are avoided in the machine referred to, and the 

 labor of planting which is always cool and less severe than most agricultural 

 operations, is by this means rendered decidedly easy and pleasant. Two 

 rows are planted at once, the earth for each being excavated by a light 

 plough-like attachment, and replaced by nearly similar scrapers, standing in a 

 reverse position, while behind the whole are dragged metallic rollers of suita- 

 ble weight to press the earth together and form a smooth surface. The 

 ploughs are dragged continuously along, and have no motion except the 

 ability to yield in case of meeting too great an obstruction. There are no 

 reciprocating parts to get out of order, except a single valve in each spout, 

 which regulates the precise moment of depositing the grain in the shallow 

 furrow. The proper amount for each hill is measured off by a continuous 

 rotary motion, thrown down into a wide spout, and held near its mouth until 

 the right moment, when it is dropped behind the forward plough, covered by 

 the succeeding one, and pressed down by the roller. A stop in reach of the 

 driver throws the small measuring wheel out of gear while the machine is 

 turning round at the ends of the rows, and a strong lever in the hand serves 

 to lift the forward or opening ploughs whenever any formidable obstruction 

 is anticipated. 



Improved Excavator. In an improved excavator recently invented by J. 

 F. "Willey of Fredonia, N. T., the scoop is formed of two parts connected by 

 a joint, and the bottom of the two formed of slats which are allowed to turn. 

 The scoop is suspended by chains to a cart, so that it may be raised bodily. 



6* 



