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On the Hessian Fly, By John Linton. 



Jpril 30th, 1821. 



Sir 



Some time during the last winter, niy very respect- 

 able neighbour Lambert Torbert, informed me that dur- 

 ing the last fall he made a partial experiment with a small 

 bush, or branch from a tree, which he dragged by hand 

 at several different times, over a small part of his wheat- 

 field, and gave it as his opinion, that something of a si- 

 milar nature, would answer a valuable purpose in pre- 

 venting the ravages of the Hessian Fly, as they were in 

 a great measure destroyed by the bush, upon that parti- 

 cular part of the field. This subject has been before the 

 view of my mind at several different times since the above 

 information, and being of the opinion, that a machine 

 may be constructed upon a very simple plan, and with a 

 trifling expense, which will answer a valuable purpose, 

 I have been induced to construct one, a m del of which 

 is herewith presented to the Society. The machine 

 should be twelve feet long, which will be sufficient com- 

 pletely to brush over one half of a common sowing land, 

 and will permit one of the wheels to run along the fur- 

 row during the operation. The axle-trees are made of 

 white pine scantling three by four inches. The wheels 

 are made of plank, and are fourteen inches in diameter. 

 In the axle-tree are eleven holes bored with an inch and 

 a half auger one foot asunder, and in each of these holes 

 a branch from the red cedar is fastened, extending from 

 the axle-tree about seven feet. Branches from the ce- 

 dar, spruce or pine would be preferable for the spring 



