PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 249 



various parts of the "Western States. During that time I have 

 visited several poultry factories. Some of them had a fair start; 

 the owners were encouraged. They have all failed. When con- 

 fined the hens ate their chickens; when they had no chickens to 

 eat, they ate one another. In all cases they ate the bottoms out 

 of the pockets of the owners. 



New Seedling Potatoes. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter exhibited ten sorts of Patterson's Eng- 

 lish seedlings, which he finds more productive than Goodrich, 

 which are more so than old sorts. From four kinds planted June 

 15, he obtained from one pound of seed of each, thirty-six pounds ; 

 forty-five pounds; fifty-four pounds; forty-six pounds. Those 

 giving the largest yield are the best potatoes. 



Mr. S. Edwards Todd, from the committee appointed to examine 

 certain implements, submitted the following reports : 



Lenox's Potato Digger. 



The main part of the digger is designed to be an attachment to 

 the mowing machine, for the purpose of economizing machinery. 

 The one exhibited was attached to the Clipper Mower. The finger 

 bar and shoes are removed from the frame that is supported by 

 the driving wheels, when the potato-digging apparatus is secured 

 to the frame by bolts, so that the driver rides in the same seat 

 when digging potatoes that supports him when the machine is 

 mowing grass. 



The portion of the digger that lifts the potatoes from the place 

 where they grow, consists of a kind of scooji-plow made of plate 

 steel, over which the earth and potatoes all rise and are received 

 on a shaker made to vibrate as rapidly as the cutter bar of the 

 mower when in motion. On each side of the scoop-plow at the 

 forward end, there are two small steel plows which turn the soil 

 away from the potatoes to be dug, thus leaving a narrow strip of 

 ground in which the potatoes all remain until lifted with the scoop. 

 By means of a lever, the driver can instantly elevate the digging 

 apparatus so that it is suspended above the surface of the ground 

 while driving from place to place. When in use, by means of two 

 adjustable standards, the scoop can be set to run to any desired 

 depth. At the forward end of the frame, two adjustable sweep- 

 hooks are let down for gathering the green vines into a close com- 

 pass directly over the hills. When the digger is put in motion, 



