THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol. I. 



Pliilaclclphia, June 15, 1§37. 



No. 23. 



I'lir the Fanners' Cabinet. 



Agriciiltui'ul Iinplcuicuts. 



NO. VIII. 

 THE UEVOLVI.NG HAY .\ND GR\I.\ HORSE RAKE. 



This machine is of great importance not 

 only in saving labor and e.vpense, but also in 

 saving property by despatcli, where it would 

 otherwise be injured or destroyed by wet ; 

 but for want of care in the construction of it, 

 both in materials and porportion, its character 

 for usefulness has, in some degree, been im- 

 paired. This, like all other raaciiines should 

 be made so that in ordinary use every part 

 should be strong enough to preform its part 

 and in extraordinary cases some part which 

 can easily be repaired should break or give 

 way so as to save the other parts which would 

 be more difficult to repair when broken. Ex- 

 perience has shown that the teeth of this ma- 

 chine should be made so much weaker than 

 the other parts as to break in extraordinary 

 cases, and thereby save the other parts. 



The following description for the power 

 of one horse will probably be found in prac- 

 tice a proper proportion, the dimensions may 

 be varied according to circumstances. For 

 instance, where the ground is rougher than 

 usual, the head may be shorter ; and where it 

 is smooth enough, the head may be increased 

 to double the length here described, and 

 two horses used at the same time : and where 

 all the hay to be gathered is of a coarse kind, 

 the teeth may be placed further apart. The 

 teeth here described will be sufficiently strong 

 to cause the head to make a half revolution, 

 or stop the horse when coming in contact 

 with a fixed obstruction, e.\cept in extraordi- 

 nary cases. 



A new tooth in place of a broken one is 

 easily supplied. 



Chester county, Pa. ISth May, 1837. 



Cab.— Vol, I.— No. 23. 353 



Each piece of wood, {except the shcfts,) is 

 siruighl, and the uhole is composed of 

 hard, strong, seasoned timber. 



Rake head, 10 feet long, 3 1-2 inches 

 square, with 18 mortices, each 1 1-8 inches 

 square, C 1-2 inches asunder from centre to 

 centre, parallel with each other, and at right 

 angles to the head. It is made round or 

 cylindrical, 3 1-2 inches diameter, and 2 inches 

 long, equi-distant between the 4th and 5th 

 mortices from the ends, for the large ends of 

 the shafts to turn on, and also the same diame- 

 ter, and 1 1-8 inches long between the 7th and 

 8th mortices from the ends, within about 

 1 1-2 inches from the 8th mortices, for the 

 large ends of the handles to turn on. The 

 corners are taken off 1-2 an inch on each side, 

 and a rivet passed through at right angles to 

 the mortices, near each end. 



Eighteen Double Teeth, each 4 feet long, 



1 1-8 inches square, driven to the middle in 

 the head, and pointed at both ends, forming 



2 teeth with points in opposite directions, 2 

 feet from the centre of the head, leaving the 

 upper side of the fore or anterior teeth 

 straight. 



Two Shafts, each 3 feet long, 3 5-8 by 2 

 inches at one end, and 2 inches square at the 

 other end, bent upwards in the middle to 

 make room for the hay and grain; a natural 

 turn is best. The large ends are cut semi- 

 circular, to fit the rounds on the head ; and 

 2 straps of iron, each 15 inches long, 1 1-2 

 inches wide, and 1-8 of an inch thick, bent in 

 the middle to fit the other part of the round 

 on the head, and bolted to the edges of the 

 shafts, from collars or circles for the head to 

 turn in. The corner.", 1-4 of an inch on each 

 side, are taken off, and small hooks riveted on 

 the outside of the shafts at the small ends, for 



