51 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



cut to any length, from half an inch to two inches, 

 according to the manner it is fet. A potatoe-cutter at 

 Mr. Douglas's, of Grace-hall, deferves mention , the 

 potatoes are put into a hopper, and fall from thence 

 upon a cylinder, in which knives are placed at equal 

 diftances, their edges downward ; there is then fixed 

 in the fide of the machine oppofite, and jufl below the 

 hopper, a number of blades equal to that ia the cylin- 

 der, and adapted to the interfaces ; the hopper being 

 filled with potatoes, the cylinder is turned by means of 

 a handle like a grinding-ftone ; which motion making 

 the potatoes fall, in their defcent they are cut by the 

 knives, and received into a box below : a bufhel of 

 potatoes can be cut in this way in a few minutes. 



Mr. Chrifty claims the merit of erecting the firft 

 threfhing machine in this kingdom ; I (hall here quote 

 his own words from a letter to me containing much 

 valuable information. " In the year 1796, I was at 

 great pains in infpedting many of the beft machines in 

 Scotland, making draughts of them, and a model to 

 erect one on my farm, on the beft principles. I em- 

 ployed a good workman, who ha4 done fomething in 

 that way before, but had never attempted, nor .ever 

 feen one on my plan, who executed the work by my 

 directions, and put me in pofleffion of a machine, 

 which, although not fo elegant in the workmanfhip as 

 fome others he has fince made, yet does the bufmefs 

 as effectually and expeditioufly as any I have fqen in 



my 



