MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTS. 



[1852. 



The inacliine in qiiestioTi has also this peculiar excellence, — it 

 enables the farmer within his own family and means, and during 

 the unoccupied winter months, to reduce an article of growth 

 into a staple fit for export or home consumption without gjing 

 tlirough the hands of a nianufacturey. The avei'age weight of 

 flax straw grown on an acre of land varies from 2 to 3 tons; the 

 seal is always eagerly sought after for the oil manufactory, and 

 in the English and Ganadiau markets bvingS' a good prica 



The merchantable fiax fibre produced by the machine in 

 question averages one-fourth of the weight of the fiax straw ; the 

 chaff and refuse is available for feeding cattle, and is equal to a 

 similar weight of oat or barley straw. The flax to be dressed 

 ly the machine rei^uires neither steeping or rolling, it is taken 

 direct from the barn after being tbr.ished, and with a slight dry- 

 ing if damp, or in damp weather, is at once converted into a 

 merchantiible article for which cash is now paid in every town 

 and city of Canada, and for which there is an almost unlimited 

 demand in England. Armed with this machine, the Canadian 

 farmer has not to fear the losses to which the Canadian manu- 

 facturer is at tim® exposed. The cost is not more tlian that of a 

 common thrashing machine, the labour is entirely amongst his 

 own family and hands, the maeliine is simple, easily repaired, and 

 not likely to get out of order, and the extra profits on one year's 

 crop will far more than pay the outlay and cost for obtaining it. 

 Accompanying the maeliine was a pamphlet of full particulars 

 and instructions, and a lithogi'aphic plan of the machine; these 

 were distributed gratis to all cornel's, and can be obtained free of 

 cost by applying to the Canada Company's Office in Toronto^ 

 ■where also the machine may be seen in full operation. 



The liberal prize of £6 was given by the Company for the 

 best sample of flax, and a sum of £4 for hemp, both of which 

 ■were taken by Canadian fai-mei-s. 



The liberality of the Canada Company in giving these prizes 

 and the expense they have incurred in thus importing the flax 

 machine, as well as their handsome prize of £25 for the best 

 sample of Fall wheat, cannot be too highly spoken of, and it is 

 believed, is fully appreciated by the public. 



Near the Flax Machine, ■we noticed a beautiful piece of 

 mechanism for plaiting Whips. We invite especial attention to 

 it as suo-o-estive of many complicated operations to which machi- 

 nery may be applied with advantage. It was exhibited by Mr. 

 Modcalf of Toronto. 



The celebrated Montreal Fire Engine of A. Perry, which 

 obtained a prize at the World's Fair, was on the ground. It is 

 too widely known as a masterpiece of workmanship in its waj', 

 to need any eulogy from us — it fully merits all that has been 

 said in favour of it. 



Another very superior example of Canadian constructive skill 

 ■was exhibited by D. O'Goi-man, of Kingston, in 'a beautiful Skifl 

 of 19 feet keel, made to pull two pair of sculls. Her model we 

 consider faultless, and the workmanship equal to anything of the 

 kind we have ever seen. She was built of Red Cedar and But- 

 ternut Wooil, and not being painted, exhibited the grain of the 

 wood and the excellent workmanship to good advantlige. It may 

 be interestinif to some of our readers to know that 0' Gorman h-is 

 built skill's in King-ston, to fill an onlcr sent to hiin from Switz- 

 crlauil, one of which we fortunately saw safely shipped during 

 the past season. It is said that equally good niat<;rial is not 

 found there an I some gentleman being desirous to have the very 

 bf-st commissioned a friend to procure th ini, who had been in 

 Kini;Klon , and who at once sent tho order to O'Gormaii. 



The exhibition of foreigii Machinery though not so innch in 

 advance of the home made articles as to give it that premium 

 hitherto usually awarded to it, still exhibited some things worthy 

 the attention of our meclianics> especially in the superior taste 

 displayed in the finish of their work. The McCormick and Hus- 

 sey reaping machines were coBspicuoiis in this part of the exhibi- 

 tion and though circumstances have recently transpired in Scot- 

 land which go far to take from our neighbors the originality of 

 the invention, they still claim our acknowledgements for intiodue- 

 ing it here. (See Caiiadkm Jcntrna/,j>age 39.) We look upon 

 the Ketchiira Mowing Machine as of fully equal if not superior 

 importance to the farmer as the Reapers, especially to those who 

 raise large quantities of Hay. 



We noticed a " Gang Plough " which appears to be a very 

 useful implement and exceedingly well made. We mention it as 

 ■we did not observe a similar machine by Canadian exhibitors. 



The Straw Cutter exhibited by Messrs. E. Taylor, Thomas <fe 

 Co., of New York, claims notice chiefly from its novelt}', and not 

 in our opinion for any excellence it possesses over other varieties; 

 indeed we think it inferior to many on the ground. It' consists of 

 a series of circular knives placed parallel to each other on an axis 

 and entering the gi'oves of an opposite cylinder, the latter being 

 furnished with projections. The fodder is passed between the 

 cylinder while revolving and is thus cut. There was one thing 

 connected with it which we would commend to the notice of our 

 Canadian manufacturei's — namely, the perseverance of the per- 

 sons exhibiting this machine in setting forth its superiority over 

 all othei-s, past or present. There is no denying but our neigh- 

 bor are far ahead of us in this system of bringing their articles 

 into notice. We were at a loss to obtain particulars of Canadian 

 implements in many instances — ^no one appearing to own them 

 or have any interest in them. 



A Root Cutting Machine appeared well calculated to answer 

 tho purposes for which it was intended, and is worthy the attention 

 of our mechanists as it must be an essential implement on farms 

 where roots are raised for feeding- cattle. 



There were some very excellent cultivators exhibited, — that 

 termed the Expanding Cidtivator we consider the most generally 

 useful. 



There were some very useful Drills for a variety of puqioses — 

 the Grain Drill by Shipton we consider a very fair article. The 

 Horee Powere did not present any new features to our notice ; 

 neither did the Fanning Mills, Grain Separators, &c. The 

 Ploughs we did not consider as at all superior, indeed hardly 

 equal to those exhibited by Canadians. 



We ^\'ould particularly commend to the more general attention 

 of our mechanics a Tenoning Machine manufactured by Harding 

 of Rochester; also a machine for working moulding^s in wood by 

 the same maker. They are of coui-se chiefly of interest to the 

 builder and cabinet-maker, to whom they must be great labour 

 si\ing machines — as such, economising the production of ai'ticles 

 which contribute to the comfort of all. 



Of a very diftbrent cliuss but still equally valuable, we would 

 notice a machine fiir the jireparntion of hard bread, biscuit, 

 erackei's, ifec, by Messrs. F. 'W. and T. Gage of Rochester. It is 

 a ver}' effli'ient machine and worthy of notice as an example of 

 nianufacturin;' skill. 



