DIGGING TREES BY MACHINERY. 299 



to sometliing else, which shall be of general utility. 

 This machine was applied to a tree fifty feet in 

 height, and of more than five feet in circumference 

 at the trunk. 



" The first process of Mr. McGlashen, is to lay 

 down a frame of T-iron — in this case, ten feet 

 square. He then takes cutters, made of malleable 

 iron, one foot broad, and three feet deep, or, in- 

 cluding the head and neck, four and one-half feet. 

 These cutters are driven, by a wooden mallet, into 

 the soil to the depth of three feet all around, and 

 being inserted sloping inwards, they give to the 

 enclosed mass the form of a square blunted wedge. 

 ' A rod of iron is then laid along the top of the four 

 rows of cutters, and extensive rods going across the 

 frame force the heads of the cutters apart as far as 

 possible, and, consequently, cause the point to con- 

 verge at the bottom. A clasp or gland is then put 

 around the trunk of the tree, with a mat under it 

 to preserve the bark. Two parallel beams are then 

 laid across the frame, and fastened to it with chains. 

 The above constitutes the frame to be raised. The 

 means of elevating it is a carriage (which also serves 

 the purpose of transportation), consisting of two 

 strong common carts, one at each end, with bolsters 

 raised above the axletree of both, and on which 

 bolsters rest two massive parallel beams secured to 

 them with strong bolts. The height of the beams 

 from the ground is about six feet. They, of course, 



