﻿AGRICULTURE. 
  171 
  

  

  efficiency 
  of 
  the 
  machine 
  has 
  been 
  more 
  than 
  quad- 
  

   rupled. 
  

  

  Gins 
  are 
  now 
  constructed 
  to 
  run 
  from 
  forty 
  to 
  eighty 
  

   saws; 
  the 
  sixty-saw 
  gin 
  is, 
  however, 
  most 
  generally 
  

   used, 
  and 
  is 
  capable 
  of 
  turning 
  out 
  a 
  daily 
  average 
  of 
  

   three 
  or 
  four 
  bales 
  of 
  clean 
  cotton. 
  

  

  The 
  cotton 
  gin, 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  now 
  used, 
  is 
  composed 
  of 
  

   a 
  stand 
  of 
  about 
  six 
  feet 
  in 
  width, 
  inclosing 
  a 
  cylinder 
  

   and 
  brush, 
  arranged 
  horizontally, 
  and 
  running 
  on 
  iron 
  

   axes 
  in 
  composition 
  metallic 
  boxes. 
  On 
  the 
  cylinder 
  are 
  

   arranged 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  circular 
  saws, 
  or 
  rags, 
  as 
  they 
  are 
  

   familiarly 
  termed, 
  made 
  of 
  best 
  cast-steel 
  plates, 
  in 
  seg- 
  

   ments, 
  or 
  two 
  parts. 
  They 
  are 
  placed 
  about 
  one 
  inch 
  

   apart, 
  and 
  are 
  so 
  stayed 
  and 
  secured 
  to 
  the 
  cylinder 
  as 
  

   to 
  insure 
  a 
  perfect 
  accuracy 
  and 
  uniformity 
  of 
  action. 
  

  

  The 
  teeth 
  are 
  very 
  pointed 
  and 
  oblique, 
  and 
  are 
  very 
  

   carefully 
  and 
  smoothly 
  dressed. 
  

  

  The 
  cylinder, 
  when 
  put 
  in 
  motion 
  by 
  a 
  band 
  running 
  

   on 
  a 
  trundle-head 
  attached 
  to 
  it 
  on 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  stand, 
  

   and 
  by 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  connected 
  with 
  the 
  running 
  gear, 
  

   revolves 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  manner 
  that 
  the 
  teeth 
  pass 
  between 
  

   a 
  corresponding 
  series 
  of 
  metallic 
  grates, 
  curved 
  or 
  bent 
  

   so 
  as 
  to 
  conform 
  to 
  the 
  circumference 
  of 
  the 
  saws, 
  and 
  

   placed 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  manner 
  as 
  only 
  to 
  permit 
  the 
  free 
  pass- 
  

   age 
  of 
  the 
  teeth 
  of 
  the 
  saw, 
  together 
  with 
  the 
  lint 
  which 
  

   it 
  removes 
  in 
  its 
  revolutions. 
  

  

  The 
  grates 
  form 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  a 
  movable 
  hopper, 
  the 
  

   breastboard 
  or 
  fall 
  in 
  front 
  forming 
  the 
  opposite; 
  the 
  

   hopper 
  working 
  on 
  hinges 
  at 
  the 
  bottom, 
  by 
  which 
  the 
  

   grates 
  can 
  be 
  elevated 
  above 
  the 
  saws 
  as 
  occasion 
  re- 
  

   quires. 
  

  

  In 
  its 
  working 
  position, 
  the 
  teeth 
  of 
  the 
  saws 
  pass 
  

   through 
  the 
  grates 
  and 
  enter 
  the 
  hopper 
  just 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  

   to 
  take 
  a 
  proper 
  hold 
  on 
  the 
  cotton 
  with 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  

  

  