H9 



not being so severe on the cattle, and less straining 

 to the machinery. Although it is obvious that a 

 drum three feet diameter, having four beaters, must 

 take two revolutions for one of the drum six feet 

 diameter, with eight beaters, it is evident that the 

 circumference of the one will move with the same 

 velocity as the other, because one turn of the large 

 drum is equal to two turns of the small one, therefore 

 they will give an equal number of strokes in the same 

 time ; but it is found by experience, that the small drum 

 threshes much cleaner, or makes better work than the 

 larger one. The small drum is therefore to be prefer- 

 red ; being easier driven, it must be less severe on the 

 cattle, and by its striking the corn at a more acute an- 

 gle, of course strips off the grain much cleaner from the 

 straw *. 



Another great improvement is, that of making horses 

 work equally, to obtain which object, a plan has lately 

 been invented by Mr Walter Samuel, a smith near Edin- 

 burgh, the apparatus of which is simple, and cheap, not 

 exceeding 20 s. per horse, by means pf which all the 

 horses must equally exert themselves in the machine ; a 

 discovery for which the inventor deserves to be re- 

 warded. 



* Mr Wood of Milrig remarks, that he has always found 

 the moderate sized threshing-mill by far the nio,t useful, and 

 less destructive to the animals which drive it, and sufficiently 

 expeditious for the puipose of any farm ; and by employing a 

 certain number of day labourers, which a farm of proper 

 size has always at command, and by employing the ox ior 

 threshing, your horses, and the men belonging to them, are 

 never taken from other agricultural purposes, rery necessary 

 perhaps to be carrying on at the same time. 



