202 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



good rake. Delano's patent — the independent tooth horse- 

 rake — has taken the jjlace of the revolver witli me ; it is man- 

 aged with much more ease, the teeth each one acting independ- 

 ent of all others, at all times laying on the surface, whether 

 even or otherwise, will rake cleaner than the revolver, and will 

 not get so much dirt on the hay as will the spring-tooth," 



And another : " I use the wire-tooth. The independent, or 

 wheel rake is used some ; both are good. I cut about sixty tons 

 of hay, and my rake I have no doubt saves me ^20 every year. 

 First in labor, and second, in quality of hay — every thing being 

 raked at night." Another says : " We have used the revolv- 

 ing horserake for the last ten years or more, and my opinion 

 is, that could I have my choice between six men or a horse and 

 rake, after dinner, with a quantity of hay to secure, I should 

 take the latter." 



A very successful farmer of Essex county says : " We 

 formerly used the revolver with good success ; but for the last 

 four or five years we have used Delano's independent horserake 

 and like it better than the revolver, as it is easier for the horse, 

 easier for the person who uses it, and rakes better on 

 uneven land. The great difficulty with the independent rake 

 is, that it is so wretchedly made, that our farmers cannot 

 depend upon it, and they complain of its getting out of order 

 at times when they most need it. They are compelled to resort 

 to the use of other patents which are not so convenient, on 

 account of their beuig better constructed." Another in Hamp- 

 den county says : "I have used the independent horserake for 

 seven years, and find it a great labor-saving machine. It has 

 not cost me a dollar to keep in repair and it is now as good 

 as new, though most farmers who use it say it is liable to get 

 out of order from being very badly manufactured. This, if 

 true, is enough to condemn any farm implement, because 

 farmers are not generally so situated as to be able to afford such 

 frequent mishaps." 



Still another patent, which promises to be a great addition to 

 our present facilities for raking hay, has been introduced under 

 the name of " Carpenter's Improved Horserake." This rake is 

 seen in Fig. 108. It was patented in August last, and the par- 

 ties interested claim for it very important advantages over the 

 horserakes now in common use. The driver rides upon the 



