132 FARMERS^ AND MECHANICS^ JOORNAL. 



For the Farmers' and Mechanics' Journal. 

 ROCKING CHAIRS. 



Mr. Editor, — Household furniture, as well as any other imple- 

 ment for use, ought to be so constructed as to combine economy 

 with convenience and utility, thereby most effectually administer- 

 ing to our comfort. It is believed, however, that these ends are 

 not so often attained to that degree that they might, by the appli- 

 cation of a little common sense. I would particularly refer to the 

 Rocking Chair, which is considered so essential to the comfort of 

 almost every family, and is resorted to by the nurse and by the 

 weary. For a short time, chiefly from change of posture, it affords 

 relief, which soon (according to the weakness of the person) yields 

 to a sense of weariness. This is frequently felt first at the pit of 

 the stomach, then in the back, and the person is constrained to get 

 up in order to rest. This is just what might be expected ; for as 

 they are generally made to counteract the pitch forward, the per- 

 son is obliged to bear a considerable and continual weight upon 

 his feet, and at the same time finds little or no support for his 

 back, it will at once be seen that this is a fatiguing posture. Hav- 

 ing noted the evil, I will proceed to point out the remedy. 



Let the rockers project not more than an inch forward of the 

 chair, and six or eight inches back, or so long that it cannot easily 

 fall backward. Then let the rockers be so shaped that a person, 

 of a size proportioned to the chair, sitting in it, and placing his feet 

 on the rounds, with his back against the back of it in the most easy 

 posture, will just balance it. Let the chair be so low that when 

 the person's feet rest upon the floor, the forward part of the seat 

 will not be felt much. By following these directions, the rocking 

 chair will always be an easy, comfortable, and pleasant seat ; and 

 the improvement will well repay the expense of a new pair of 

 rockers, or even a new chair. This has been proved long since 

 by the experience of Yours, &;c. Rumford. 



REMARKS BY THE EDITOR. 



We have two of the above named pieces of furniture, one as 

 vile a thing to sit in as a man could well contrive, the other ex- 

 actly the reverse. On trying them according to the above rule of 

 balancing, we found the easy one would remain poised in the posi- 

 tion stated by Rumford, the other came well near pitching the 

 person out head-foremost. This rule should be known ^by every 

 one, who attempts to make chairs of this description. 



