:44 



upon a manure-heap is indifferent to some of the most wonderful and 

 beneficent operations of the divine Providence ; and to the most iie- 

 markable and instructive lessons of religious philosophy.* 



XVI. MACHINERY. 



1. Drill-Barrow. A useful drill-barrow has been invented 

 by Samuel H. Bushnell of Sheffield, of a simple construction, and 

 small expense, by which the sowing of small seeds is well and expe- 

 ditiously performed. Indian corn may also be planted with it. A 

 good one has likewise been made by Allen C. Metcalf of Lenox, 

 both of which have received the honorary notice of the agricultural 

 society. 



2. Threshi^jg-Machine. T^lie threshing-machine in general 

 use through the county is one made in Hillsdale, N. Y. I was not 

 able to learn, whether it was patented or not ; or any particular name 

 by which it is designated. It performs its work well and with de- 

 spatch. It is moved by three horses or by two yoke of oxen. The 

 thresher is placed on the barn floor, and is connected by a belt with 

 the moving power, to which the cattle are attached, in the yard. 

 The whole can be put into a small wagon and easily conveyed from 

 place to place. The cost is 75 dollars. With proper attendance, 

 I was told that 120 bushels of wheat or 300 bushels of oats might be 

 threshed by it in a day. The 300 bushels of oats seemed to me a 

 large statement ; and of course it must take several assistants to hand 

 and take away and tie up so many sheaves. 



3. Smoke-House. Moses Spurr in building a smoke-house, 

 separated it into two parts by a brick partition, with openings in the 

 partition to admit the passage of the smoke. The meat is hung in 

 one apartment ; and the fire is made in the other. In this way the 

 bacon or meat is thoroughly smoked without any danger of dropping 

 or dripping into the fire, or of being injured by hanging too near the 



* Appendix G. 



