﻿AGRICULTURE. 
  175 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  worked 
  by 
  a 
  single 
  cast-iron 
  screw 
  bolted 
  securely 
  

   at 
  the 
  upper 
  end 
  to 
  the 
  follower, 
  and 
  presses 
  upwards 
  

   against 
  a 
  straining 
  beam 
  on 
  the 
  top 
  of 
  the 
  box 
  ; 
  the 
  bale 
  

   being 
  taken 
  out 
  on 
  the 
  upper 
  floor, 
  on 
  a 
  level 
  with 
  the 
  

   lint- 
  room. 
  

  

  The 
  screw 
  ascends, 
  without 
  turning, 
  through 
  a 
  cast- 
  

   iron, 
  movable 
  nut 
  or 
  female 
  connected 
  with 
  the 
  lower 
  

   beam 
  of 
  the 
  press. 
  To 
  this 
  nut 
  the 
  lever 
  is 
  attached, 
  

   and 
  through 
  it 
  also 
  the 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  screw, 
  in 
  bring- 
  

   ing 
  down 
  the 
  follower, 
  passes 
  into 
  a 
  hollow 
  cylinder 
  of 
  

   plank 
  sunk 
  into 
  the 
  ground. 
  Twenty 
  bales 
  is 
  perhaps 
  

   the 
  average 
  number 
  turned 
  out 
  with 
  five 
  hands 
  in 
  a 
  

   day. 
  

  

  The 
  objection 
  to 
  the 
  press 
  is 
  that 
  ninety 
  revolutions, 
  

   up 
  and 
  down, 
  are 
  required 
  to 
  make 
  a 
  bale; 
  but 
  the 
  

   application 
  of 
  steam-power 
  to 
  this 
  press, 
  as 
  has 
  been 
  

   done 
  on 
  large 
  plantations, 
  obviates 
  this 
  objection. 
  

  

  McCombs's 
  press 
  is 
  worked 
  by 
  lever 
  power. 
  Two 
  

   beams, 
  the 
  lower 
  ends 
  extended, 
  and 
  resting 
  on 
  rollers, 
  

   stand 
  under 
  the 
  press 
  like 
  an 
  inverted 
  V 
  (A)? 
  o^ 
  the 
  top 
  

   or 
  point 
  of 
  junction 
  of 
  which 
  the 
  follower 
  rests. 
  These 
  

   beams 
  are 
  drawn 
  together 
  by 
  a 
  stout 
  cable 
  or 
  chain, 
  

   made 
  fast 
  to 
  them 
  at 
  the 
  bottom, 
  passing 
  through 
  blocks 
  

   on 
  opposite 
  sides, 
  and 
  winding 
  around 
  a 
  detached 
  up- 
  

   right 
  shaft, 
  which 
  is 
  turned 
  by 
  power 
  attached 
  to 
  the 
  

   end 
  of 
  a 
  suitable 
  lever. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  very 
  efficient 
  press, 
  and 
  

   is 
  used 
  by 
  many. 
  The 
  principal 
  objection 
  made 
  to 
  it 
  

   arises 
  from 
  the 
  danger 
  of 
  the 
  breaking 
  of 
  the 
  chain 
  or 
  

   rope. 
  The 
  number 
  of 
  revolutions 
  is 
  fifteen 
  to 
  the 
  bale. 
  

  

  Lewis's 
  revolving 
  lever-press, 
  recently 
  invented, 
  seems 
  

   to 
  have 
  brought 
  this 
  application 
  of 
  power 
  for 
  this 
  pur- 
  

   pose 
  as 
  near 
  perfection 
  as 
  perhaps 
  can 
  be 
  attained. 
  It 
  

   operates 
  under 
  the 
  box 
  by 
  two 
  beams 
  placed 
  in 
  a 
  man- 
  

   ner 
  similar 
  to 
  those 
  in 
  McCombs's 
  press 
  ; 
  but 
  the 
  ends 
  

  

  