271 



through the end of crank and mandrel. The bearing a nearest 

 the crank should be turned an inch in diameter, in order to form 

 a good shoulder ; and the other bearing should be an inch and 

 a fourth in diameter, as more strain will come on that when bor 

 ing. A hoop of band iron may be put on the fly or balance 

 wheel, about three inches wide, and may be used for a pulley in 

 boring large holes. Always take off the crank when boring with 

 a horse ; because a crank will produce a tremulous motion unless 

 there is a corresponding weight on the other side of the mandrel. 

 (See BALANCING MACHINERY, in next vol.) 



359. If one has a horse saw, or straw-cutter, or threshing- 

 machine cylinder, have a hole bored in one end of the journal, 

 for the auger, and make the frame of the boring machine to re 

 ceive the shaft of saw or shaft of straw-cutter. This will save 

 the expense of a mandrel. A hole may be bored for the auger in 

 the end of the shaft for twenty-five cents. Then, the cost of 

 auger, $2 50, frame and fixtures, $4 00=$6 50, will cover the 

 whole expense, besides the mandrel, of as good a boring machine 

 as any farmer can desire. 



A GRASS HOOK, OR DUTCH GRASS SICKLE. 



360. Fig. 125 represents an instrument for pruning or trim 

 ming hedges after they have grown too high to be clipped 

 with a stiflj sharp grass scythe. They should be heavier than a 



FIG. 125. 



A GRASS HOOK. 



common grain sickle, having a sharp fine edge and not a sickle 

 edge. They may be obtained at R. L. Allen's Agricultural 

 "Warehouse, 189 Water street, New York city. 



361. For the first two or three seasons, the best instrument for 

 12 



