174 



DOING UP WOOL,. 



FLEECE IN PRESS. 



fribs belonging to the fleece in a bunch on top, and having 

 folded 5 over on 6, so that it will take the form presented 

 in the preceding cut, it is ready for the wool press. The 

 wool-tyer then takes it carefully 

 between his hands and arms, so as 

 not to disturb its arrangement, and 

 places it unbroken in the wool 

 press, either on one side, as in the 

 left hand cut annexed, or on what 

 may be termed its edge, as in right 

 hand cut annexed. 

 The wool press I consider one of the most convenient 

 minor agricultural inventions of the day. Combining some 

 previous plans with my own, I furnished a plan of it substan- 

 tially as it now is, except that it was worked by a lever 

 instead of the crank arrangement described below, to Mr. 

 James Geddes, of Fairmount, New York. Mr. Geddes 

 perfected it by adding that arrangement. I am indebted to 

 him for the following cut and description : 



"The Press consists of a substantial and firmly made box, sup- 

 ported on legs of convenient height ; the length of the box, four feet, 

 and its width eleven niches, and its depth ten and one -half inches, 

 both measured inside of the box.* One end or head of this box (a) 

 is fixed, and strongly 



braced by a sort of iron ft a, 



bracket made for the 

 purpose; the other or 

 movable head (&,) has a 

 horizontal support to 

 which it is also firmly 

 braced, and slides under 

 the elect nailed at / up 

 to within any requisite 

 distance of the other 

 head, a. Through both 

 the heads there are three 

 perpendicular slits 

 which render so many 

 braces essential to their 

 strength, and through 

 which the strings are 

 extended for the tying 

 of the fleece. In oper- 

 ation, these strings having been put in place, the fleece is folded to go 

 into the box, but not rolled ; the crank, turned by hand and prevented 

 by a ratchet from springing back, moves the roller at d, which, by 

 means of the strap, two inches wide, shown at c, pulls up the follower 



* Large fleeces require a rather larger box. 



WOOL PBESS. 



