51 



17th, on Col. XewelFs farm in West Xewbuiy. A large num- 

 ber of farmers were present, and probably many of them then 

 «aw a mower for the first time. They m ere imperfect, and the 

 question was, will they come into common use I Since that 

 ■time a great change has taken place. The mowers then used 

 have given place to more perfect ones, and now but little grass 

 is cut with the scythe. There is a great variety of mowers 

 noAv in use, greatly improved from former ones. But Yankee 

 ingenuity is not satisfied. New mowers are being made, Avhich 

 .•are claimed to be less complicated, with lighter draft, and to 

 make better work. Therefore it is well for every farmer to 

 look to the merits of the mower before he purchases. The 

 horse rake and horse tedder have also been greatly improved. 

 The tedder is of more recent origin, and not fiu- behind the 

 mower in saving labor, as turning hay by hand is a slow pro- 

 cess, and must be done in the heat of the da}-, when other 

 -work is pressing. 



As the profits of the fai-mer are small when compared with 

 the price of labor, it is necessary that all the advantage should 

 be taken possible of every labor saving machine. But as ev- 

 ■ery improvement is not what it purports to be, therefore the 

 utmost caution should be used against being imposed upon, as 

 £;ome of our good farmers have been. 



The rpiestion often arises with those Avho have small forms, 

 liow far strict economy will justify them in purchasing improv- 

 ed implements, as a person may in some cases purchase more 

 than strict economy will justifx'. Therefore every farmer 

 should carefully count the cost and govern himself accordingly. 



Another recent impro^■ement which we think of great value 

 rshould not pass unnoticed — the manufacture of iron hub team 

 wheels by E. A. Archibald, of ]Methuen. It is well known 

 that the iron hub for team wheels is coming into common use 

 in Boston and many other places. Mr. Archibald's principal 

 improvement is in pressing them together with great forces 

 making them more perfect than they can otherwise be made. 

 For further description T i-ecommend the publication of JNTr. 



