104f Domestic Notices : — Ireland. 



as may be, half an acre in the hour. My brother had 60 acres under crop; 



ten of which were cut before he got his machine, and ten were in a field 



newly brought under the plough, and, of course, could not be cut jjy a 



machine. The other forty he cut by the machine in It'i hours ; that is, a 



little more than half an acre in the hour. The crops cut, both on my father's 



and brother's farms, were wheat, oats, and barley ; and they were mostly 



cut by the machine working in one direction. Both machines, however, 



cut partly both ways, when the corn and wind would answer; when cutting 



both ways, about an acre in the hour was always cut. When the machine 



was working in one direction, seven or eight people were necessary to 



collect, bind, and stook : when it was working both ways, of course nearly 



double that number were required. We find, by experience, that the 



machine will cut both ways when the corn is standing upright, or nearly 



so ; and also when it is laid nearly parallel to the furrows, or when it is 



completely broken down, so that one could not say which way it is laid. 



The machine works to great advantage amongst the latter description of 



corn ; as it is difficult to cut it well in the common way, and the machine 



actually evens it during the process, so that it is evener laid down in the 



bout than it stands in the field. I have not yet had an opportunity of 



seeing the machine operate amongst beans ; and though it would not cut 



peas at all, I am of opinion that amongst clean beans it would work to 



great advantage. Besides the machines that I have mentioned, there are 



a considerable number more on the stocks, since harvest, in various parts 



of the country. Two are going to Van Diemen's Land, and will be finished 



about the beginning of the new year. One of them is to work with two 



horses, and one with only one horse. Wheat in this quarter is bad ; barley 



indifferent ; oats good. Potatoes an average crop ; turnips indifferent ; 



and great deal less wheat sown than usually ; no cure for the fly amongst 



us. Yours, &c. — Patrick Bell. Mid Lioch by Dundee, Nov. 1 1. 1830. 



IVilkie^s Banking Ploughs. — We send a great many ploughs every ship- 

 ping season to Jamaica ; some time ago twenty-seven for one house. These 

 ploughs are made much stronger than any used in Britain, because they 

 are to be drawn by twelve or fourteen cattle. They have generallj' one or 

 two wheels placed under the point of the beam. To give greater strength 

 to the beam, without adding to the weight, we sometmies weld it up with 

 steel. These ploughs are called in Jamaica banking ploughs. — James 

 Wilkie. Uddingston, near Glasgow, Se^it. 25. 1829. 



IRELAND. 



Practical Horticultural Societi/ for Ireland. — " The objects of thisSociety 

 are: — The formation of a library, to consist of the most approved works 

 on the subject of horticulture; the establishment of an experimental 

 garden in the vicinity of the metropolis, as a school for the education of 

 gardeners, and to afford employment to gardeners of good character out of 

 situation ; to collect, embody, and diffuse information tending to elucidate 

 horticultural science ; to award premiums, and other marks of distinction, 

 thereby to excite emulation amongst gardeners ; and to endeavour to 

 advance horticulture, in this country, to the rank to which it is entitled 

 amongst the sciences of an enlightened nation. 



" Rules of this Societi/. 1. That noblemen, gentlemen, and ladies sub- 

 scribing 1/. annually shall be members, or subscribing 10/. within one year, 

 shall be members for life. 2. That nurserymen, seedsmen, and gardeners, 

 regularly admitted, subscribing 10s. annually, shall be members; and sub- 

 scribing 51., within one year, shall be members for life. 8. That a president, 

 vice-president, and secretary, together with a connnittee consisting of fif- 

 teen members, shall be chosen annually, by ballot, to conduct the business 

 of the Society; seven of the committee to constitute a quorum. 4. An 

 annual meeting of the Society shall be held in Dublin in the month of 

 April, when a report of the committee and statement of the accounts. 



