1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



425 



rock was computed to be Jive tons. Passing to 

 another, which, upon raising, was found to be 

 half out of the ground, it was laid up high and 

 dry in four minutes! and this was all the time 

 occupied in applying the hooks, taking out the 

 rock, and dropping it loose upon the top of the 

 ground ! The next one occupied ten minutes. 

 This I measured, rule in hand, and allowing 12 

 cubic feet for a ton, which I think was enough 

 for the kind of rock lifted, I found it to weigh 

 six tons! In one hour, 26 rocks were lifted out, 

 varying in weight from 300 lbs. to six tons ! and 

 at the end of two hours, 45 rocks had been ex- 

 humed from their natal beds, to the glorious sun- 

 light, which, as a great favor, shone out with re- 

 splendent brightness on this occasion. 



I am clearly of the opinion that I have never 

 seen any machine whose use would prove more 

 profitable on rocky farms than this. I think I am 

 competent to judge in this matter, as I spent 

 much of my youth, and several years more re- 

 cently, in reclaiming lands from the possession 

 of rocks to the use of the plow and hoe and cul- 

 tivated crops. In accomplishing the work I have 

 described, there was no hard labor for the men or 

 the team ; every thing was quickly and quietly 

 done, and apparently, without unsual effort on 

 the part of any engaged in it. The only strain 

 was occasionally upon a noble pair of oxen in re- 

 moving some of the largest rocks a few feet from 

 their old home ; but they did it with an energy 

 and precision that gave evidence of excellent 

 training. Their owner held a "goad-stick" in his 

 hand, but guided them mainly with his cheerful 

 wojds. 



At the expiration of two hours, the operators 

 selected the largest rocks they had raised, and 

 laid them in a line for a wall, and when two or 

 three were in place, others, smaller, were laid up- 

 on them with rapidity and ease, the men having 

 scarcely any part in the matter beyond hitching 

 and unhitching the hooks. 



This is the machine to precede the mower and 

 horse-rake, on great numbers of our rocky New 

 England farms, and facilitate their culture and in- 

 crease their crops and profits. Those who use it, 

 dig deep trenches where it is intended to lay a wall, 

 trenching sometimes four or five feet deep, or as 

 long as the digging is easy ; then fill the trenches 

 with the lesser rocks and small stones and use 

 the earth thrown out to fill the holes left in the 

 field. The machine weighs 2500 lbs., but stand- 

 ing upon wheels so large, is easily transported 

 over the roads or fields. It is compact, wonder- 

 fully strong, has nothing liable to get out of re- 

 pair or break, but a chain, and costs $275. I was 

 sufficiently interested in it to induce me to bor- 

 row a model, which may be seen at the Farmer 

 pffice after my return. Several persona who 



looked upon the (operations of this machine with 

 me, estimated that it would take two men, such 

 as are now commonly employed upon New Eng- 

 land farms, and two pairs of oxenyb«r days, to 

 do what the machine did in two hours. I think 

 they were correct. Those who are interested 

 may learn more about this Lifter by addressing 

 Thomas Ellis, Esq., Rochester, Mass. 



Mr. Solomon E. Bolles, the inventor of the 

 machine, informed me, that, though not intended 

 for that purpose, yet it could be successfully op- 

 erated in pulling common stumps. 



The crops in all this region look finely — corn 

 especially. The hay crop is not all gathered yet, 

 as the frequent rains have prevented drying it. 

 Much is now standing in cock, and in the flat 

 country, not a little partly under water, while 

 nearly all the fresh meadows remain uncut. A 

 great deal of hay and considerable grain must 

 inevitably be damaged. 



I have been gratified to see several plantations 

 of the white pine, of various heights, and ap- 

 pearing to be in a very flourishing condition. 

 The pine loves this soil, and I should think the 

 best use to which it could be devoted would be 

 to sow it with the seeds of that tree. On one 

 plantation which I saw the trees were about t^n 

 feet high, with an exceedingly lively foliage, and 

 had retained their branches quite close to the 

 ground. They certainly promise a very rapid 

 growth. 



I am indebted to Mr. Ellis for the cheerful 

 faces of his household, for excellent bed and 

 board, and for a charming early morning ride oi 

 five miles to the station, in a cosy carriage, with 

 his agreeable and intelligent daughter. "It is a 

 very pleasant world we live in" — sometimes, very. 

 That is all, excepting that 



I am very truly yours, 



SiMOK Brown. 



Joel Nourse, Esq., Boston. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 MOWING MACHINES. 

 NOTES BY THE WAY. 



Yesterday I was invited to witness the opera- 

 tions of Allen's mower, guided by Mr. Merrill, on 

 land of Mr. Cabot. He cut before twelve o'clock, 

 five acres, yielding at least ten tons, with no as- 

 sistant near. I saw the same machine at work, 

 to-day, on the ground of Dr. Loring, in company 

 with Danforth's improved grass cutter, guided by 

 Mr. Thompson, of Greenfield. Both of these im- 

 plements did their work so well, that it was not 

 easy to say which did the best. If I were te 

 guide, I should prefer Allen's, because on this 1 

 could ride at my ease ; whereas, he who guides 

 Danforth's machine, has to tag behind. 



Both these fields were calculated severely tc 

 test the powers of the implements. On the first, 

 was spread in the spring a full dreasino' of mrffe- 



