NORFOLK SOCIETY. 295 



On Implements. 



The case contem])lated by the society's rule, of rewarding 

 only a newly discovered implement, invented by the exhibitor, 

 did not occur, with the exception of the so called hydraulic 

 churn, manufactured by John Andrews, of Woburn. This 

 churn was certainly of a construction new to the committee, 

 and is probably a valuable addition to the numerous instruments 

 for making butter, already known ; it has the apparent merit of 

 great labor-saving properties. In the absence of all experimen- 

 tal evidence of its operation, the committee regard it as beyond 

 their duty, so far to endorse its value, as to recommend it for 

 your premium ; still, they regard it as worthy the trial of our 

 dairy-women. A very fine collection of implements, from the 

 principal agricultural warehouses in Boston, was exhibited, be- 

 sides some from several towns in this county. These instru- 

 ments were, generally, of the most improved construction now 

 in use ; exhibiting, in a high degree, the inventive genius of 

 New England, and the great skill attained in our community, 

 in the working of iron. There is a strong attachment to old 

 usages, among our practical farmers, which has some advan- 

 tages, but which occasions much delay in adopting valuable 

 improvements. This fact is illustrated, by the hesitation 

 shown in the use of the horse-rake, already known for years. 

 At the present rate of wages, the use of this machine will 

 save fifty cents per ton in the making of hay ; and yet, 

 there is not one farmer in ten, throughout the county, that uses 

 it at all. There were four ditferent kinds of horse-rakes exhib- 

 ited, all having some peculiar advantages ; and the committee, 

 without expressing a preference for either, believe that the use 

 of the poorest that can be found, is preferable to the laborious 

 process of hand-raking. If our farms are not productive, some 

 other cause than the want of good tools must be sought for ; 

 and the committee believe, that the implements for agricultural 

 operations, procurable among us, are not surpassed in the civil- 

 ized world ; and this opinion is supported by the testimony of 

 intelligent foreigners, familiar with the subject. 



For the committee, 



JAMES M. ROBBINS. 



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