1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



359 



this carbonic acid, and assimilate its carbon to the 

 growth of the plant. Thus it is evident that veg- 

 etation, in the presence of sunlight, has access to 

 an exhaustless supply of carbon. 



But, says the farmer, if the above argument be 

 correct, how can vegetable growth be in propor- 

 tion to the amount of organic matter contained 

 in the soil ; and what is the effect of manure up- 

 on vegetation ? 



Manure serves a two-fold object in the vegeta- 

 ble economy : 1 st, to supply the plant with a quan- 

 tity of soluble phosphates, alkalies and silica, 

 ■which is absolutely indispensable to all vegetable 

 growth ; 2d, the organic elements generate car- 

 bonic acid, which serves as a solvent for earthy 

 and alkaline phosphates and carbonates ; and thus 

 renders the inorganic or mineral food capable of 

 absorption. But the silicates, which are not read- 

 ily dissolved in acid, are soluble in alkali, and 

 hence results the beneficial effects of adding lime 

 and ashes to clayey soils ; as it loosens and ren- 

 ders them less adhesive, and also sets free the al- 

 kalies which are locked up by the 'silica in the 

 forms of feldspar, which is a silicate of alumina 

 and potash. In this way it renders the silica sol- 

 uble, and thus improves and sweetens vegetation 

 by neutralizing baneful acids, and decomposing 

 noxious compounds. N. Cressy. 



Rowe, Mass., June 22, 1861. 



MOWING MACHIWES. 



A few days since we had the pleasure of en- 

 gaging in the operation of four difi"erent mowing 

 machines, on the farm of George M. Barrett, 

 Esq., of Concord. The machines used were a 

 two-horse Manny, a two-horse Buckeye, a one- 

 horse Wood, and a one-horse Buckeye. Each 

 machine did unexceptionable work, and at the 

 rate of about one acre an hour. 



The first piece of ground entered upon was 

 level and the grass light. The lots had been laid 

 out by Mr. Barrett, the day before, as near each 

 other in size as he could make them without actual 

 measurement. The lot assigned to the one-horse 

 Buckeye was cut in the shortest time, cut perfect- 

 ly, and with ease, though cutting a foot less in 

 width than either of the two horse machines. Al- 

 though the machine did its work admirably, a 

 considerable portion of the credit must be imput- 

 ed to the quick and even motion of the horse, be- 

 ing just that short, prompt step that gives a mow- 

 ing machine its full power. ' 



The second lot entered upon was in a narrow 

 valley, and extending up hill on either side, — 

 one side having quite a sharp ascent. The clover 

 stood knee high, and was very thick ; indeed, it 

 was an ambrosial flower-garden, where the spicy 

 pines in the adjoining forest, and red clover vied 

 with each other in filling the air with grateful 

 fragrance. 



The two-horse Bttckeye led the way, turning 

 a double swath through the close ranks of clover 

 in the most gratifying manner. It then took 



the sharp hill-side and finished that portion of 

 the field. The two-horse Manny entered, did not 

 take a double swath, but cut as handsomely as 

 the most critical eye of the best mower would 

 wish to see. 



The one-horse Buckeye followed in the heavy 

 grass and fully sustained the reputation it had 

 earned in the first field. The Wood one-horse 

 machine was also in motion as soon as the way 

 was clear for it, and performed admirably. It 

 is a wonderfully compact and simple machine, and 

 did all its work quickly and well. Indeed, this 

 trial of mowing machines was the most gratifying 

 that we have ever witnessed. Nothing inter- 

 rupted it. The machines were put into the grass 

 and went directly along, about their business. 

 There were no nuts or screws loose, no gearing 

 disarranged, no clogging and halting, and no 

 apologies from the operators ! The work went 

 steadily on until it was finished. Every man 

 seemed to feel, when he started, that he was cer- 

 tain of success — and he certainly gained it ! 



We do not wish to be understood, that we had 

 not a decided opinion as to the merits of these 

 machines, from what we saw at this trial, and had 

 seen of them before ; but it would be scarcely 

 fair to express them until we have actually ope- 

 rated each one of them ourself. A skillful and 

 experienced person may make an indifferent ma- 

 chine work tolerably well, while one lacking those 

 qualities may make a good machine appear dis- 

 creditable. A person can only form a true judg- 

 ment by an actual handling and managing the 

 machine for himself. We have already used eight 

 or ten different machines, and intend to be on 

 the Wood and two-horse Buckeye, as soon as we 

 can. 



At about six, P. M., on the same day of the 

 trial at Mr. Barrett's, we put the one-horse Buck- 

 eye into a thick piece of timothy and clover, moved 

 by a nine and a half hundred mare, who had only 

 been in a machine once before. AVe were on the 

 field about an hour and a half, and during that 

 time had eighteen visitors, for whose pleasure, as 

 well as to allow rest to the mare, we stopped sev- 

 eral times, and explained the operations of the ma- 

 chine. In that hour and a half we cut an acre, 

 which, in beauty of execution, far exceeded any- 

 thing that can be done by a hand scythe. There 

 was no clogging, or other difficulty, to prevent 

 continual progress, and with two horses, we have 

 no doubt the acre would have been cut in forty 

 minutes! The cutter bar being only three feet, four 

 inches long, one horse will be able to do the work 

 on a small farm, but as the motion in moving 

 should be a quick one, and the draft is constant, 

 he should be allowed to stop once in ten or fifteen 

 minutes and rest. Even with these allowances 

 an acre may be cut in an hour and a quarter. 



