AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND RURAL ECONOMY. 25 



to act upon them and saw them down. As the saws decrease in diameter downwards, the 

 upper part of the stalks will be cut down first ; in other words, the stalks are cut successively 

 from their upper to their lower ends. 



Saws are superior to knives for cutting cotton-stalks by machinery in this manner, as they 

 can be operated with less power, are more easily sharpened, and not so hable to get out of 

 repair. — Scientific American. 



Cotton Cleaner. 



A nkw machine for cleaning cotton has recently been invented by Mr. J. B. Mell, of Rice- 

 boro', Georgia, which promises some advantages over the gins now in use. It consists in an 

 ingenious relative and combined action of brushes and teeth, with which the rollers are armed. 

 By the operation of these the pure cotton is rapidly taken from the mass of the feed, leaving 

 the seed as well as the dirt behind. The card or teeth, and brush rollers, revolve in opposite 

 directions, so that, as the former raises the cleansed cotton, the latter sweeps it off, and it 

 passes down the "discharge" and out of the box without interruption. 



Recent Improvements in the Preparation of Flax and Hemp. 



Hughes's Hemp and Flax-breaker. — An improvement in machinery for breaking and cleaning 

 flax has recently been made by W. D. Hughes, of New London, Missouri. Three breakers, 

 like heavy blunt knives, are attached to levers, and two of them are so arranged that they 

 may be brought, while the machine is in operation, to the proper distance apart to suit the 

 nature of the material to be operated upon. They may thus be caused to approach each 

 other or nearer to the line of operation to the corresponding breaker, so that the operator 

 can adapt the machine to break any kind of hemp, whether it be well-rotted or not, and to 

 act upon large and small bunches. In this way, perfect control of the breakers is obtained 

 while the machinery is in operation. 



Caryl's Flax-dressing Machine. — A valuable machine for the breaking and cleaning of flax, 

 grown for seed, has been invented by Mr. A. H. Caryl, of Sandusky, Ohio. This machine is 

 now in successful operation in various parts of the West, and is well worthy the attention of 

 those interested in flax production. An explanation of its principles without engravings 

 would be unintelligible. 



Sugett's Improvement in Treating Hemp. — In a patent recently granted to Lewis C. Sugett, 

 of Kentucky, for an improved process in treating hemp, the improvement consists in picking 

 the hemp seven to ten days before ripening, its toughness being at its maximum about this 

 time; the immersing thereof, after the usual mechanical treatment, in a solution of common 

 salt at about 70° Fahrenheit, during six hours, followed by a treatment with tar or an equiva- 

 lent, previous to manufacturing it into twine or cordage; the whole for the alleged purpose 

 of making it softer, stronger, more pliable, and more durable, and at the same time cheaper, 

 than under any other treatment. The claims are as follows : 



" The application of common salt, or other saline substance, to the steep-water, in order to effect the removal 

 and separation of the gum at the most advantageous condition of the lint or harl. The saturation of the fibre and 

 expulsion of its moisture, by immersion in boiling tar, pitch, or oil, for the purpose of more thorough and inti- 

 mate application of the preserving substance to the fibres, preliminary to their conversion into twine or cordage." 



Parker's Flax-breaking and Scutching Machine. — The peculiarities of this machine, recently in- 

 vented by William Parker, of Belmont county, Ohio, are, that after breaking the flax it first 

 presents the root-end of the fibre to the scutchers, retaining the seed-end, then withdraws the 

 root-end and presents the seed-end, while the root-end is retained. The finished fibre is delivered 

 on to an endless apron at the same time that the next tableful is received into the machine. 



Jennings's Process for Improving the Quality of Flax Fibres. — This process consists in throwing 

 down upon the flax a small quantity of oil, say about half an ounce to the pound of flax ; this 

 is done by boiling the flax in an alkaline soap-ley, washing with water, and then boiling it in 

 water slightly acidulated with some acid ; for which purpose acetic acid is, perhaps, the most 

 suitable, from its exerting no injurious action upon vegetable fibre. The acid decomposes the 

 soap, the fatty constituent of which is left in the fibre, or, perhaps, a mixture of an acid soap 



