106 Hotchkiss's Cu*tcr. 



work more expeditiously and profitably. I have two 

 boxes, holding forty bushels of chaffed hay, or straw. 

 By this means I can tell the quantity used in a given 

 time ; and they are replenished as often as they are emp- 

 tied. At idle times, bad weather. &c. farmers might 

 always chaff a quantity before hand. If, in cities and 

 towns, men would devote themselves to chaffing hay, by 

 the ton, (as wood sawyers work by die cord,) the saving 

 in a large city, would amount to more, than I have either 

 time or data to calculate. In the country, the advan- 

 tages are not to be counted. More stock could be 

 kept on dry forage, and more cattle fed, or more hay 

 sold, or more ground turned to other uses than those of 

 hay or pasture, if the saving by chaffing provender, were 

 generally practiced. Even corn stalks, cut in thin 

 pieces, so that the nutriment can be soaked out in the sto- 

 mach, are highly nourishing, Sec. ; and when used before 

 they are injured by standing out too long, are palatable 

 and agreeable to cattle. In the southern states, their cut- 

 ting their corn-tops and blades, and even stalks, (and 

 they have spare hands enough to do it,) would turn to 

 great account. Yours very truly, 



Richard Peters. 

 Robert Vaux, Esq. 



Sec. Philad. Sue. for promoting Agriculture. 



POSTSCRIPT. 

 My neighbour, R. Rundle, Esq. set ajsmart labourer at a 

 good common cutter ; and a gentleman not accustomed to 

 labour worked the larger HoLchkiss's cutter. Bundles of 

 Rye straw! of equal size and weight were put in the 

 boxes, respectively. The gentleman finished his with 

 ease in four minutes, and the labourer (hard run) took 

 five minutes in doing his work. 



