AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



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which the motive power is derived ; the other, a secondary wheel, placed in the opposite side 

 of the frame, and forward of the main wheel, for the purpose of supporting that side of the 

 frame, preventing the heavy drag of the knife-bar on the ground, and effectually obviating 

 the side draft of the machine. In connection with the secondary wheel is an apparatus for 

 elevating or depressing the knife-bar. By means of a lever, the driver, while sitting on tlie 

 machine, may in an instant raise the knife-bar to the height of fifteen inches. It is thus 



passed over stones or other obstacles without changing the course of the team, and at the 

 proper moment is lowered to its former position. The same apparatus admits of the knife- 

 bar being firmly fixed at any desired point, so that the knives may cut at different heights, 

 leaving the stubble at such lengths as the peculiar surface of the ground or other circum- 

 stances may render expedient. Motion is given to the knives by means of a cam- wheel placed 

 on the same shaft with the pinion connected with the main-wheel, requiring only one set of gear 

 to obtain any desired number of vibrations of the knives, from 35 to 48, to one revolution of the 

 main-wheel, thereby making it very easy to graduate the speed of the knives to the natural walk 

 of any horse. Each knife is placed upon the knife-bar independent in itself, moving on a centre 

 pivot by means of an iron rod passing under and attached to the back end of the knives, giv- 

 ing them an oscillating motion, and effecting a drawing, circular cut. The knives are double ; 

 that is, they have a cutting edge at each end, and by removing the cap which secures them 

 in place while at work, any one can be removed and another substituted in its place, or the 

 ends can be reversed when one edge becomes dull. This machine is made both for one or 

 two horses. 



Dietz and Dunham's Improved Reaper and Mower. — At the recent State Agricultural Fair of 

 New Jersey, Messrs. Dietz and Dunham exhibited an improved mowing and reaping machine, 

 in which by a peculiar construction, motion is transferred to the cutters directly from the 

 driving or ground-wheel of the machine, by means of a simple lever, and without gearing of 

 cogs, shafts, &c. N 



Manning's Reaper and Mower. — In this invention the knives have a rotary motion, and are 

 operated by small cog-wheels and rope-pulleys. The horse walks behind the knives, push- 

 ing the machine before him. 



Luptori's Improvement in Harvesters. — A patent for improved grain and grass harvesters 

 was granted to T. W. Lupton, of Virginia, in June, 1855. The arrangement combines rotary 

 cutters with wire fingers, reel, and endless receiving aprons. The fingers bend the grain at 

 an angle at which it is swept and cut by the cutters, conveyed away by the aprons, and de- 

 posited on the ground. The aprons are dispensed with in cutting grass. 



Kroger 's Improved Harvester. — This invention, by A. E. Kroger, of Norwalk, Connecticut, is 

 intended to obviate all the difficulties which have hitherto attended the use of these machines 

 on rough and rocky ground. The invention accomplishes this as follows : — In the first place, 



