No. So.] 233 



stitutes one half of the cylinder, and is made very light, serves an ex- 

 cellent purpose as a tray, for which purpose it is used. 



Another improvement in this churn consists in the number and pe- 

 culiar arrangement of the buckets, or wings of the dash. In this 

 arrangement the number of the buckets is increased to six ; of which 

 three, or every alternate one, moves in a circle somewhat larger than 

 is described by the remaining three, so that each bucket in its turn, 

 breaks the volume of cream rolling off the one next preceding it. 

 The result is, that the process of churning goes on much more rapid- 

 ly, while at the same time the labor is not materially increased — the 

 additional buckets employed serving to render the motion of the crank 

 more uniform and steady. By this means, also, the different portions 

 of the moving cream are effectually prevented, (however rapid the 

 motion of the dash,) from uniting and rolling over without breaking; 

 a difficulty long since found to attend churns having four or more 

 buckets, all moving in the same circle — and which has caused the 

 general disuse of more than two. In the construction of the dash, 

 the slats or arms are made to pass quite through the shaft, and a buck- 

 et is attached at each end. The arms are not pinned, but are fitted 

 closely in the shaft ; so they may be moved backward or forward, 

 and yet remain as they are placed. This enables the operator so to 

 adjust the dash, as to adapt the churn to the size of the churning. 



Again, this churn is very easily cleansed and kept sweet 5 more so, 

 perhaps, than any other wooden churn. In those churns, the " bar- 

 rel" or "drum" of which is composed of several pieces or staves, the 

 numerous joints furnish a ready lodgment for particles of cream, — a 

 portion of which only can be removed, and that with difficulty — 

 while the remainder is left there to sour. To obviate this difficulty, 

 the drum is in some of the best kinds composed chiefly of a single 

 piece ; for which purpose bass wood has been uniformly employed, 

 that being more flexible than most other kinds. But on account of 

 the peculiar tendency of this wood to swell and shrink from frequent 

 wetting and drying, it requires to be painted, both on the outer and 

 inner surface. And here occurs another difficulty, for butter will ad- 

 here to a painted surface. Aware of these difficulties, the inventor 

 has aimed, in the construction of this churn, to avoid them all, by 

 constructing a drum — in a single piece — of pine, or some other kind 

 of wood less susceptible than bass wood to the influence of moisture, 

 and which would therefore answer the purpose without being painted. 

 This, after making a great variety of trials and experiments, which 

 have cost him incredible pains, he has finally succeeded in accomplish- 

 ing, having invented for the purpose a pecidiar process of steaming; 

 by means of which, and the subsequent treatment, he is able to bend 

 pine and retain it in a circular shape, with as much facility as bass 

 wood, though at a considerable increase of expense. Excepting, 

 therefore, the " side pieces," (which are made of thicker stuff, and 

 which are necessary, being required to hold the other parts together,) 

 each half of the " barrel" is composed of a single piece. The " side 

 pieces" are united to the drum by a peculiar kind of matching, which 

 renders the joint perfectly tight, and effectually prevents it from open- 



