1840. 



THE GENESEE FARMER, 



1 33 



t^," <;(WflES.S* 



VVIIEA1 DRILL. 



PALMER' S WHEAT DRILL. 



Of the various improvements in grain drills, this 

 is one of the most recent. It is designed to com- 

 bine, in a simple, substantial and yet cheap form, the 

 advantages of the numerous English and American 

 drills heretofore in use. We extract the following 

 from the inventor's description of its construction 

 and operation : — 



"The frame-work consists of a simple axle, four 

 by six inches, and a pole, on the former of which is 

 placed a box or hopper. One simple distributor driv- 

 en by a cam wheel and friction rollers, conveys the 

 grain from the hopper into the several drills, through 

 hollow braces or levers, and the quantity in each drill 

 cannot vary a spoonful in sowing live bushels. Each 

 drill is independent of the others, and either can pass 

 over a stone or other obstruction eighteen inches 

 high, without interfering with the operation of the 

 other. It will drill perfectly, a strip of land of any 

 width, from four inches to the entire width of the 

 machine) and will work on land of any shape, with- 

 out wasting the grain. All the teeth or drills can be 

 raised or remain in a position eighteen or twenty 

 inches from the ground, rendering it perfectly safe 

 to drive over the roughest places. By the most sim- 

 ple movement, the distribution of seed can be stopped 

 in an instant, or continued with the same ease. All 

 the injury the drill can sustain by coming in contact 

 with roots or fast stones, is the breaking of a small 

 wooden peg, which is easily replaced. The machine 

 is so contrived, that by a very simple movement, the 

 interior work is exposed to view, and at all tim 

 grain, while passing into the drills, is in full view of 

 the operator, so that he can detect at a glance, any 

 stoppage of the grain, and at once remedy it." 



A large number of thes"? drills are being manufac- 

 tured, the present season, by J. A Holmks &. Co. of 

 Brockport, N. Y. See their advertisement in this 

 number of the Farmer. 



FACTS IN 3UILDING. 



A writrr in the American Mechanic, mentioiiH the 

 following very sensible facts for those who propose to 

 construct dwellings with reference to comfort, e 

 omy, and convenience: 



One fact is that a square form secures more room 

 with a given cost for outside walls, than any other 

 rectangular figure. Great length and little width may 

 afford convenient rooms, but an increased expense. 



iVnother fact is that ventilation is an essential i» a 

 human dwelling. No other consideration should i :■:- 

 elude this. The halls, windows, and doors, should 

 be so situated with regard to each other, that a full 

 draught of air can be secured at any time in the sum- 

 mer season, by day and night, through the whole 

 house. The stories should also be sufficiently 

 to afford a sufficiency of air in all the rooms, 

 feet is a good height for lower rooms, and eighl 

 upper. Bed rooms should also be larger than they 

 commonly are. Great injury to health is the 

 of sleeping in small, close apartments. 



The third fact is that a steep roof will not only shed 

 rain and snow far better than a flat one, but will last 

 immensely longer. 



The fourth fact is that a chimney in or near the 

 centre of the building will aid to warm the ( 



. while if built at one end or side, the heat will 

 be thrown out and lost. 



The fifth fact is that a door opening from the out- 

 side into any principal room, without the intervention 



''all or passage, costs much more than it -■ 

 in the free ingress of air into it. 



The sixth fact is that the use o( paint is the best 

 economy, in the preservation il aflbrde to wood work. 



The seventh fa :1 is thai if the front door is n 

 at one sido instead of the middle of the front, a par- 

 tition will be saved, and for small houses this should 

 not be forgotten, but for large houses have the main 

 door and lobby in the middle of the house. 



