120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Kingston, Mass., invented and patented a machine, -which however, 

 failed to come into much use. About 1830, "William Manning of 

 New Jersey, invented a mower, and a few years later, the Ambler 

 patent came out, both of which proved partially successful. About 

 fifceen years ago, Hussey's reaper, and soon after, McCormick's, 

 made their appearance. Within ten years, both mowers and reap- 

 ers have greatly multiplied ; improvements have succeeded one 

 another with great rapidity, until at the present time, we have, 

 beyond any doubt, several machines amply capable of relieving the 

 farmer of a vast amount of the severest and most fatitruing labor 

 connected with the farm, by substituting brute power at an econom- 

 ical rate in place of human muscles ; nor are reliefs from exhausting 

 labor and economy in the cost of cutting grass by any means the 

 only advantages which these machines offer the farmer, for they 

 enable him to cut his grass just when in its best condition, and so 

 effect a very material increase of the value of his" product over what 

 it would be, if dependent entirely upon the manual labor usually at 

 his command. 



It should not be forgotten also, that the labors of farmers' wives, 

 always sufficient to keep them busily employed, are often at the 

 season of haying, so increased by the employment of a gang of extra 

 hired hands, as to be seriously onerous and too often beyond their 

 ability. Farmers' wives in Maine, have at best, a weary burden of 

 care and labor. True, they do not, as in some other countries, 

 labor in the field, (doubtless more open air exercise would be bene- 

 ficial, and would be indulged in too, if only they could find time for 

 it ;) but including all — the physical labor, care and responsibility 

 which is imposed upon, or assuined by, or some how or other by 

 common consent, devolves upon them, nowhere in the world are 

 women more severely tasked than they ; and whatever may lighten 

 their burdens, be it a sewing-machine or a mowing-machine, deserves 

 attention — certainly from every husband and father. 



Among the mowing machines which have been successfully used 

 of late in this State, I present herewith, illustrations and descrip- 

 tions of several, as offered by the proprietors. 



Buckeye Mower. 



Of this mower, the proprietor, John P. Adrianne, 165 Greenwich 

 street. New York, and Worcester, Mass., in his circular, says: 



