496 Transactions of the American Institute. 



that is fallen we cut with a reaping machine; that is usually found, 

 though not always, on account of the scarcity of hands. The 

 threshing is done by horse and steam power, the large jobs mostly 

 by steam; this takes a force of nineteen men, six on a stack each 

 side of the thresher to get the gi'ain up to the feeder, one to hook 

 on and take ofl' sacks, one to carry them away, engine -feeder, 

 machine-tender, straw-hauler, sack-sower, and water-cart man. The 

 price for threshing is usually four to five cents per bushel of sixty 

 pounds of wheat, the owner of the thresher furnishing four hands, 

 who go with the machine. The farmer finds the other hands. 

 Wages, last harvest, two dollars to two dollars and fifty cents per 

 day and board. I was five days last harvest threshing 2,300 sacks 

 of 100 pounds each, and moved engine and thresher eleven times. 



EGG-HATCHING MACHINE. 



Dr. A. Preterre, 159 Bowery, invites the membei-s of the Club to 

 see his egg-hatching apparatus, which is now in full operation. 

 Chickens are being tumbled out of the shells everj^ day; and thus 

 far the success has been quite satisfactory. The doctor has recently 

 invented a delicate apparatus, by which the ringing of a bell indi- 

 cates either the maximum or minimum degree of heat to which the 

 eggs and the young chickens are exposed. If the eggs are lial>le 

 to be injured by too much heat, or if not enough heat is applied, 

 a little bell gives an instant alarm. This enables the operator to 

 adjust the temperature at pleasure. Hens can now devote all their 

 energies to laying eggs, and thus save twenty-one days of tedious 

 incubation, and more than forty days more of maternal care in rear- 

 ing thek little broods. Adjourned. 



March 17, 1868. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the chair; Mr. John TT. Chambers, Secretary. 



SMALL FRUITS ON THE HUDSON EH^R. 



Mr. John W. Staples, North Newburgh, Orange county, N. Y. — 

 There are frequent inquiries from men who want to find homes in 

 the country, and with good society. It is hard for those accustomed 

 to Eastern, and especially to city life, to bid adieu, apparently for- 

 ever, to accustomed enjoyments and associations. Here, in Marlboro- 

 on-the-Hudson, is room for one thousand families, where parents 



