1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



353 



this machine is the reel, which presses the grass 

 against the cutter bar, and causes it to fall be- 

 hind it when cut, an advantage in operating on 

 hillsides, or in going in the direction of the wind. 

 A reaper attachment goes with this machine. 

 "We have not the means at hand for a fuller de- 

 scription of the Manny. It is a machine which 

 has given great satisfaction to New England 

 farmers, and hundreds of them are in use in these 

 States. 



The Buckeye Mower was introduced into New 

 England in 1857. The machine is heavy, cuts a 

 swath from 3i to 4| ft. in width, and sells for $85 

 to $120. It runs upon two driving wheels, eith- 

 er one of which, when in motion, will operate the 

 knives, so that a sharp corner can be turned with- 

 out stopping the working of the machine. Mo- 

 tion is communicated to the knives by a bevel 

 •wheel upon the shaft of the driving wheel, which 

 carries the shaft of a cog-wheel placed at the back 

 of the frame, and revolving in a direction at right 

 angles with the line of motion, and which in its 

 turn communicates motion by means of a pinion 

 to a shaft passing under the axle of the driving 

 wheels, to the forward end of which the cutter bar 

 is attached. A small wheel supports the heel of 

 the finger-bar, which, by means of a double hinge 

 joint, rises or falls, to accommodate itself to ir- 



regularities in the surface of the ground, indepen- 

 dently of the position of the driving wheels. 

 When the machine is not in use, the finger-bar 

 can be folded up so as to lay across the frame in 

 front of the driver's seat. By means of a lever, 

 which can easily be operated by the driver, the 

 finger-bar is raised to any desired height, to pass 

 obstructions. The machine is of light draught, 

 and well made. 



The Wood Mower was introduced here two 

 years ago. It is a small and light machine, 

 weighs from 450 to 514 pounds, and costs $70,00 

 to $80,00, cutting a swath 3^ to 4 feet in width. 



It resembles the Buckeye in having two driving 

 wheels, but in other respects, is essentially differ- 

 ent. About 4 inches inside of the rim of each 

 driving wheel is an inner wheel, the inner cir- 

 cumference of which is furnished with cogs, revol- 



ving a shaft parallel to the axle, and raised higher 

 from the ground. Upon this shaft, under the dri- 

 ver's seat is a bevel wheel, which communicates 

 motion to a shaft at right angles with the axle, 

 and to the forward end of which the cutter bar is 

 connected by means of a crank pin attached to a 

 balance wheel. The finger-bar is raised by means 

 of a lever in front of the driver's seat, and the 

 machine can be thrown out of gear by raising 

 pawls which confine the pinions on each end of 

 the driving shaft. The attachment of the cutter- 

 bar to the machine, is such that in striking any 

 obstruction it relieves itself, and the finger-bar 

 will thus pass over obstacles six inches high, with- 

 out stopping the machine, or interfering with its 

 operations. By removing one bolt, at the heel 

 of the finger-bar, that portion of the machine can 

 be detached, and laid across the frame for trans- 

 portation. A reaping and self-raking attachment 

 goes with the machine. The Wood mower is a 

 light machine, of easy draught, and made in the 

 best manner, so that its durability or efficiency is 

 not affected by its light -weight. Three sets of 

 knives are supplied with this machine, and two 

 with each of the others. In both the latter ma- 

 chines, the knives do not vibrate when the ma- 

 chine is backed, only the forward motion of the 

 driving wheels, or of one of them, if the other is 

 stationary, as in turning a short corner, communi- 

 cating motion to the cutter-bar. 



The machines to which we have thus alluded, 

 are not the only ones in the market, but they are 

 the ones about which we receive the most inqui- 

 ries, and which are the best known in this neigh- 

 borhood. 



The Ketchum is made and sold by Nourse, Ma- 

 son & Co., of this city ; the Manny is made and 

 sold by Alzirus Brown, of Worcester ; the Buck- 

 eye is made by John P. Adriance, of Worcester, 

 and sold in this city by Parker, Gannett & Os- 



