Davier, apparatuses with two scythes mow from two to three hectares (5 to 7.4. acres) per 

 day, according to the density of the vegetation stand. 



Fig, iib. The Mowing of water plants with the Drailich reed scythe. 

 The lever arms, on i^iose ends ar« the half-aoon shaped scythe blades, 

 are moved from side to side in unison. 



The Ziemson angle scythe consists of two long blades, firmly united in V-formation, 

 whose outer edges cut the reeds. For pulling them a boat hitched to a horse or to oxen, 

 or a boat with paddle wheels, etc., aay be used. The angle blade is especially suitable 

 for the cutting of paths and for cutting in ditches, since the working width is not all 

 too great. Resistances Bay cause bending. 



The Ziemsen weed saw is in fact essentially a weed eaw, for the reason that in the 

 cutting of firmer plants it easily tears through. It consists of a steel band, about 

 0.75 millimeters thick and provided with saw teeth on both edges, which can be weighted 

 by spindle-shaped weights. '.Tith a length of 30 to 40 meters (98 to 131 feet) the weed 

 saw will lie well on the bottom also without weights. The saw band is easily distorted 

 in itself. It must be at least 10 meters (32.8 feet) long, but on the other hand, it 

 must not be selected too long since drawing it back and forth under water causes too 

 great a power strain. 



Reed mowing machines with comb cutters, which like grain mowers are provided with 

 shear-like taloned cutting beams, have in recent years been constructed in many forms. 

 Probably all the systems cut in frontj with the exception of the Ifland Motor reed 

 mowing machine which, according to Lietmann, cuts on the left side. 



The Three Star of the firm Paulsen and Co. in Vetschau is probably the oldest 

 German manufacture. It v/as originally provided for hand operation. The newest model, 

 which is furnished in tr/o sizes, has an 8 horsepower motor, which drives not only the 

 cutting arrangement, but also the paddle wheels (individually) which are now placed in 

 the rear. Therewith, the theoretically correct principle: Front cutting arrangement, 

 rear drive, has been carried out for the first time (Fig. ^7), Naturally the machine 

 is relatively heavy and suitable only for larger fisheries. The width of the cutting 

 comb is 2.5 meters (8 feet, 2 inches). A disadvantage of all machines with the comb 

 system is still, that the cutting arrangement, which in the Three Star can be sunk up 

 to 1 nKter (3 feet) below the water surface, must be continually readjusted as it does 

 not automatically adjust itself to correspond to the momentary pond depth. A fault of 

 the Three Star and other machines is the attachraent of the comb on two side beams in 

 whose angles the reeds very easily become firmly lodged. Generally 



156 



