182 FINE WOOL HEEP HUSBANDRY. 



D. 



THE WOOL PKESS. 



This article has been so much improved recently, 

 and that improvement is so little known, that I am 

 induced to call attention to it. Most wool-growers 

 are acquainted with the excellent press previously in 

 use, consisting of a trough about four feet long and 

 ten or twelve inches in height and breadth, set on 

 legs, with a stationary cross-piece at one end, and a 

 movable one drawn towards it by a strap and lever, 

 with slits for twine, &c. -This does up wool more 

 rapidly and vastly better than any person can do it 

 by hand. But in the case of large fleeces it requires 

 too much weight applied to the lever for the operator 

 conveniently to press it down and hold it down with 

 one foot, while standing with the other in a conve- 

 nient place for tying up the fleece. Several contri- 

 vances were applied to remedy this difficulty, but 

 finally the true one was hit upon by Mr. James Ged- 

 des, of Fairmount, 1ST. Y. By substituting a crank, 

 ratchet-wheel, pair of rollers, and the necessary straps 

 in the place of the lever arrangement, even a small 

 boy is strong enough to compress the fleece, and the 

 ratchet-wheel and dog will cause it to be held com- 

 pressed as long as is wanted by the tier ; the crank, 

 being then reversed, carries back the sliding cross- 

 piece to the opposite end of the trough again. It is 

 now apparently a perfect machine. ISTo patent has 

 been taken out for it. The machines are excellently 

 manufactured by Storrs Wilber, of Fairmount, ~N. Y., 

 and cost from $6 -to $7. If Mr. Wilber should leave, 



