ON CUTTING AND PREPARING FEED. 67 



evidently improved in condition, as have also the horses, altho' 

 ilieir work has latterly been on heavier soil, and of course more 

 severe than formerly. Twenty-four bushels of chaff, at twenty 

 bushels to the cwt., amount to about 21^ tons yearly, which, 

 deducted from 48 tons, (the quantity we were consuming within 

 the year,) gives a saving of about 26^ tons, or more than 

 half. 



" I have, however, carried the retrenchment further, by cut- 

 ting in bean stalks to the exent of about a quarter of the chaff. 

 These being laid uppermost in the cutting trough, keep the hay 

 well pressed, and cause it to be cut more regularly. Thus we 

 now use about 25 cwt. of hay monthly, instead of four tons." 



The next statement which I shall give, is Benjamin Hale's ac- 

 count of the saving made by the use of Hotchkiss' Straw Cutter, 

 employed to cut hay and straw as fodder for horses, as given in 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural Report", vol. iv. p. 400. 



Mr. Hale is proprietor of a line of stages running between New- 

 buryport and Boston. 



The whole amount of hay purchased, from April 1 to 

 October 1, 1816, (six months,) and used at the 

 stage stable, was, 



tons. owt. qrs. lbs. 



32 4 10 



at ^25 per ton, (the lowest price at which hay 

 was purchased in 1816,) amounted to ^800 00 



From Oct. 1st, 1816, to April 1st, 1817, whole amount 

 of hay and straw purchased for, and consumed 

 by, the same number of horses, viz. 



;ons. cwt. qrs. lbs. 



Straw, 16 13 3 10 ^160 23^ f;in qq 

 Hay, 13 14 1 00 350 00 ^ ^^" "^^ 



Deduct on hand April 1st, 1817, by estimation, four 

 tons more than there was Oct. 1st, 1816, at ^25 

 per ton, 100 00 



Saving by the use of the straw cutter, 4 months of the 

 last 6 months, or the difference in expense in 

 feeding with cut fodder and that which is uncut, 389 77 



