IMPLEMENTS, &c. OF THE FARM. 



449 



this amount of work. In confirmation of this they would state, 

 that it cut on this occasion, six hundred and thirty square yards 

 in two minutes, doing its work in the most perfect manner." 



THE HAY-SWEEP. 



The object of the Hay-Sweep is to 

 collect and draw the hay from the win- 

 row to the stack, or place of deposit. It 

 consists of a piece of scantling, A A, 3 

 by 4 inches, and 10 feet long, united by 

 seven upright bars of wood, 1 by 2 

 inches, and 3 feet long, to another piece 

 B B, 4 by 5 inches, and 10 feet long; 

 through the latter, six holes are made 

 in a horizontal direction to receive the 

 teeth, which are pieces of very strong 

 wood, H by 4 inches, and so long as to 

 project two feet and a half on each side 

 of the piece B B, and tapering on their 

 under side like the teeth of a horse-rake, 

 so as not to run into the ground. At 

 the ends of the pieces A A, B B, are at- 

 tached two frames C D E F, termed 

 gates, by strong hinges so made that the 

 gates may turn round upon them through 

 half a circle. These gates consist of 

 two pieces of scantling 3 inches square 

 and 3 feet long, united by two bars of 

 wood G G, each I by 2 inches, and 3 

 feet long, and a third D E, 3 inches 

 square, tapering on the under side like 

 the runner of a sled, and projecting a 

 few inches beyond the upright piece F 

 E. The whipple trees are attached to 

 the upright pieces F E, a little above the 

 middle; they should admit of being raised 

 or lowered in order to adjust the height 

 exactly, which is readily determined by 

 trial. 



The mode of using this instrument is 

 as follows: A horse is attached to the 

 whipple-tree at each end, and the length 

 of which is to be regulated to the draught 

 in such a way that the bottom of the 

 gate may keep the teeth from running into the ground, and yet under the hay. 

 Not the least management or skill is further required; a small boy is placed 

 on each horse, and passing on each side of the winrow, sweep it off, and carry 

 it to the stack. On arriving there, the horses are turned about, causing the 

 gates to perform a semi-revolution, and drawing the instrument out from 

 under the heap of hay, and they proceed as before to bring up another load. 

 The teeth-on each side of the piece B B are thus alternately used. In order 

 that the hay may be easily pitched, it is indispensable that the load be left at 

 the stack, so that the back of it may be pitched first. From three to five hundred 

 pounds of hay are generally carried in each load. 



As a labour-saving machine, where the distance of drawing is not great, 

 this is fully equal if not superior to the revolving rake. Two horses and two 

 boys only, are needed in using it. One will draw fast enough, in ordinary 

 cases, to' keep three pitchers and three stackers constantly at work. With 

 this and a revolving rake, ten acres of hay may be cleared from the ground in 

 half a day. It leaves the meadow as clean as is done by a common rake. The 

 cost of making is not more than three or four dollars. 



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