No. 13. 



Husseii\s Mo7cing and Heaping .Machine. 



laa 



as published in the Hagerstown Torchlight, 

 and republished in the 11th No. of this volume 

 A considerable part oftbe improvement con- 

 siists in the general arrangement, while the 

 grand principle in the cutting apparatus re 

 mains unchanged. It is the opinion of intelli- 

 gent farmers, that the improved machine will 

 eventually supersede the original, therefore 

 it is not deemed necessary to describe the 

 original at present. Accordingly the follow- 

 ing description will refer to the improved 

 machinery only. 



The main body of the machine consists of a 

 frame composed of two sills, connected by two 

 cross rails. In these sills are steped six posts, 

 tliree in each sill. On the tops of these posts 

 and parallel with the sills, are framed two 

 top rails, which extend at one end, and form 

 sliafe for a horse, tliese shafts are also con- 

 nected by cross rails, corresponding with the 

 sills. The main axle is hung to the middle 

 posts of the frame in boxes, in which the axle 

 turns, while the ends are square, and fixed in 

 square holes in the hubs of the wheels. — 

 These wiieels are not unlike wagon wheels, 

 being three feet and three inches high. This 

 frame follows behind the horses like a horse 

 cart, both the horses and the wheels travel on 

 the stubble, and close to the standing grain. 

 Two narrow planks are placed across the sills, 

 one forward, and the other behind the wheels; 

 tlit'se plank extend ou one side five or six feet 

 beyond one of the wheels, and are connected 

 by other planks, from witiiin two inches ofthe 

 wheel to their extreme ends, forming a table 

 or horizontal platform, at a distance from the 

 oTound equal to the hjfrhest of the stubble. — 

 The ends ofthe p-lank which cross the sills are 

 fixed to the sill by a hinge, which permits tlie 

 extended platform to rise and fall according 

 to the inequality ofthe ground ; the extreme 

 end ofthe platform being supported by the 

 small roller, seen in the engraving. On the 

 fi-ontedge ofthe platform are firmlv fixed a 

 row of strong spikes, pointing forvard, and 

 about three inches apart, these spikes are 

 formed of two pieces, one upper and one lower 

 piece, and joined at the points, forming cor- 

 responding slits through all the spikes, to ac- 

 commixkte the cutter or saw. The cutter is 

 formed of blades in form of lancets points, fixed 

 side by side on a rod of iron, which gives 

 it the appearance of a saw ; this is run through 

 the slits in the spikes and attached to a pit- 

 man, moved by a crank, which gives the 

 blades a vibratory motion from one spike to 

 the other. The crank being connected by 

 cogwheels to the main axle, regulates the 

 motion ofthe cutters according to the speed of 

 the horses. It will' be readily understood, 

 tliat if the wheels are driven close to the 

 standing grain, the platform with the cutting 

 apjmratus will extend into the gram, tl e 



straw as the machine progresses will be re- 

 |Ceived between the spikes, and be cutolfby 

 jthe vibratory motion ofthe blades. In the 

 'process of cutting, each blade passes between 

 two pieces of iron, so that the straw is held 

 I both above and below, the edge that cuts it ; 

 {the impulse given to the butt ofthe straw by 

 jthe forward motion ofthe machine, incline 

 ' the heads backwards. The grain by this 

 means accumulates in a heap on the platform, 

 and is pushed off behind with a rake. The 

 performance of this operation is not unlike 

 padling a boat. The binders are placed at 

 equal distance from each other round tlnj- 

 field, to bind, and throw tiie grain out ofthe 

 track before the maciiine comes round a^aiQ. 

 The machine is raised, or lowered, by raising 

 or lowering the boxes ofthe main ax;e on the 

 posts to which they are attached. One horse 

 is sufficient in light grain, yet two are pre- 

 ferable in all cases, on account ofthe tacilitr 

 of turning by the power ofthe head horse, as 

 well as for light draught when speed is re- 

 quired. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet, 



Remarks upon the Application of Liiuc, 

 to prevent tSic \va.ste «i"^Vuter iu Canals 

 or otlier Water courses. 



Where the sides and bottom of a canal or 

 other water course, is of so porous a texture, 

 as to be incapable of holding water, they may 

 be improved by the useof lime slacking with- 

 in the subterranean channels. The ex{).an- 

 sion of the lime during the process makes 

 tlie bottom and sides sufficiently solid to hold 

 water. Tae process is merely to place pul- 

 verized unslacked limeinthe bottom or sidevS 

 of the canal in the immediate vicinity of ttie 

 leakage, either upon dry earth or upon plaiiK 

 confined by stones placed upon them, or by 

 stakes driven diagonally over the edges of 

 the plank into the earth, and then filling a 

 section of the canal or water course, as rapid- 

 ly as possibly, so that the water will convey 

 the lime into the subterranean c'#nnals, by- 

 fore it is expanded to the full extent. If one 

 operation be insufficient to complete tiie 

 work, the process is to be repeated as often 

 as may be necessary. 



P. S-. I should be much pleased if some 

 one in a situation to do so, would make ex- 

 periments with unslacked pulverized lime, 

 ibrced by a powerful press or by pounding 

 within the interstices,, between tae difiereiic 

 fibres of seasoned wood, before being u^ei 

 for fence posts, pavements, or rail road sills, 

 and hereafter inform the readers of the^ 

 Cabini't the result, as a guard against decav 

 and the effect wlien used, between wood 

 brick or stone, to- give stability, to pavements. 



Agriculture is the aorsery of patriotism.. 



