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Richard Peters' junr. Esq* communication to Mr. East- 

 man, on Hotchkiss^s cutting. 



Read February llth. 1817. 



Green Hill, January 30th, 1817. 

 Sir, 



The straw-cutter, invented by Mr. Hotchkiss of 

 Vermont, and which I procured from you, I have had 

 in constant use, during the past six weeks. My stock 

 consists of fourteen cows and four horses, and during 

 the whole of this period, they have been fed with hay 

 and corn- tops, cut with this machine, instead of having 

 been furnished with thern in the usual mode. I am well 

 satisfied there is a saving of at least one third in this me- 

 thod of feeding. My gardener thinks the proportion 

 saved is greater, and equals one half. 



The machine is complete and perfectly competent, to 

 perform the purposes I expected from it. When pro- 

 perly attended to, it will cut, in much less than an hour 

 more than all my stock will consume in one day ; and 

 the labour in using it is not great. Some care is re- 

 quired in supplying it with hay, straw or corn -tops ; they 

 must not be given in large portions, and they must be 

 given equally. Those only who do not attend to these 

 particulars can complain of the machine. 



