224 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The loom for weaving tufted or pile fabrics of every descrip- 

 tion was, 110 doubt, one of the most valuable of all the grand 

 inventions of the exhibition. The London " Mechanics' Maga- 

 zine " says, in its notice of it : " Among the many useful inven- 

 tions from the United States, perhaps the most remarkable is 

 the power loom for weaving tufted fabrics. This is the invention 

 of Mr. A. Smith, of West Farms, New York, and intended for 

 weaving the Axminster carpets, and any other tufted or pile 

 fabric which requires cutting and is produced from a pattern. 

 Unlike either the Jacqnard or the old draw loom, the pattern 

 designed is formed by the arrangement of the spools, which are 

 suspended over the machine to the number of two hundred and 

 seventy. These produce a pattern the whole width of the 

 material and one and a half yards long, and at every throw of 

 the shuttle a piece of mechanism rises up like so many fingers, 

 catches hold of the threads and weaves them in. A knife then 

 passes swiftly over it, and cuts off the tufts to any length required. 

 Any design can be woven in it in parts, which, when united, 

 will have tiie appearance of being woven in one piece, and the 

 loom will produce twenty-five yards in a day. This loom has 

 received great attention from scientific Englishmen, and Earl 

 Granville, who is well acquainted with weaving operations, has 

 declared publicly that it is destined to achieve great results." 



What Earl Granville really said was, that this American loom 

 was " perhaps the most useful invention produced within the 

 past several years — itself an honor to America, if she had had 

 nothing else at the exhibition." The certainty and case with 

 which tlie machine seized the right threads at the right time, 

 and worked them into place and cut them off, leaving the tufted 

 surface even, with the pattern beautifully produced, was the 

 subject of marvel to thousands who saw this " new Yankee 

 wonder." 



Of pianos, those of Steinway and Sons, of New York city, of 

 course, took the lead, and received the medal for " powerful, 

 clear, and brilliant tone and excellence of workmanship " ; and 

 so much pleased were some of the members of the committee, 

 themselves skilful musicians from Germany and France, and 

 considered among the best judges of musical instruments in the 

 worhl, that they declared the Steinway pianos " not only the best 

 on exbibition, l>ut the best they had ever seen." As I had bought 



