THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



112 



hand, in clover seed, oats, and light grain; but 

 in heavy wheat, it should be done by machinery 

 if practicable, and the more powerful muscles 

 of the horse. I am fully aware of the difficul- 

 ties attending it; but after seeing what has 

 been done so successfully already in the cut- 

 ting, I do not quite despair of the raking, al- 

 though so many have attempted it, and failed. 

 To succeed, the machinery must not be com- 

 plicated, expensive, or liable to get out of or- 

 der; nor must it materially affect or retard the 

 free motion of the driving wheel and knives ; 

 to do either, will cause the latter to clog or 

 «hoke, and occasion much detention, if not 

 breakages. It must also be accommodated or 

 adapted in some degree at least, to the con- 

 stantly changing position of the grain, ground, 

 wind, &c. 



In the opinion of many, Atkins' automaton 

 self-raker has solved the problem of its practi- 

 cability, under favorable auspices. As to the 

 question, " Have you seen it at work, and will 

 it meet or supply the wants of the farmer?" I 

 would answer, that I have only seen the ma- 

 chines on exhibition, and not in the field, where 

 alone it can be judged of properly. It is an 

 admirable piece of mechanism ; but I fear too 

 expensive an addition to the reaper, and proba- 

 bly too complicated, to come into very general 

 or common use, with a class not proverbial for 

 mechanical tact and skill; or for "having a 

 place for every thing, and every thing in its 

 place." I have often seen expensive imple- 

 ments, — and even the reaper, left in the field, 

 "reposing on its laurels," exposed to all wea- 

 thers, and from season to season. If the ma- 

 chine fails in its allotted duty at a busy season, 

 as fail it must with such, and even rougher 

 usage, is it fair or just to lay the blame on 

 the manufacturer ? It certainly is not, but is 

 oftentimes done notwithstanding. A practical 

 experience of some twenty-five years, as a ma- 

 chinist, has made me as familiar with machine- 

 ry, as with farming; and I honestly express 

 the opinion, that the sins of omission, by im- 

 plement makers, are far less, than those of 

 commission, by the ignorant and thoughtless 

 who commonly use them. 



No subject connected with agricultural im- 

 provement, has claimed so much of my atten- 

 tion and interest for several years past, as per- 

 fecting the reaping and mowing machine; and 

 substituting machinery for hand labor on the 

 farm, wherever practicable. That I have suc- 

 ceeded to some extent, — at least in saving 

 money, I am perfectly satisfied. In reference 

 to the machine raking, I may remark inciden- 

 tally, that a working model has recently been 

 submitted to me, and delivering at the side, 



that promises, with the reel, and under favor- 

 ing circumstances, better than any thing I have 

 yet seen; it can be made for $15 to $20 only, 

 and perhaps as durable as other parts of the 

 reaper. It requires however, to perfect it, in 

 my opinion, to throw the rake forward, over, 

 and into the uncut grain, like the hand rake, 

 thus dispensing with the reel. The inventor 

 thinks he can do this also ; but it can only be 

 proved in the field, not the workshop ; by an 

 operating and efficient machine, not a model. 



There is however one thing that must be 

 borne in mind by those who would use mowing 

 machines to the best advantage : it is absolutely 

 necessary to farm neatly, — to clear the ground 

 from stone, stumps, and abrupt inequalities on 

 the surface. For a farmer to expect to mow 

 close and clean, without the trouble of picking 

 up the stone, and with the knives cutting 

 through earth and gravel, is about as reasona- 

 ble, and as profitable too, as for a mechanic to 

 undertake to plane up his boards covered with 

 grit, or driven through with nails. 

 I am, respectfully, 



Edward Stabler. 



Harewood, 2d month 15, '54. 



OSAGE ORANGE HEDGES. 



The following discussion, at a late Agricultural 

 Convention in Ohio, will show how doctors differ: 



" Major Milikin, of Butler county, offered for 

 adoption the following resolution: 



" Resolved, That the State Board of Agriculture 

 be recommended to offer premiums for the best 

 specimens of, and the best mode of cultivating, 

 Osage orange hedges. 



" Mr. Gamble advocated the passage of the reso- 

 lution, detailing in a clear manner his experience 

 in hedging, in a speech to which the audience lis- 

 tened with much interest. 



" Mr. Medary said he had given this subject con- 

 siderable attention. He had reluctantly, almost 

 come to the conclusion that hedging was a species 

 of enclosure, which was of doubtful economy. 



" Mr. Springer, on leave, addressed the Conven- 

 tion five minutes, giving his opinion that Osage 

 orange is an unprofitable and unsatisfactory mode 

 of hedging, from his own careful experience. 



"Mr. McGrew replied, from his own experience, 

 dissenting from the opinions of Mr. Springer, giv- 

 ing his mode of cultivating the Osage orange, 

 which had resulted to his satisfaction. It was his 

 opinion that with proper attention, there is no soil ' 

 in Ohio, upon which it cannot be satisfactorily cul- 

 tivated. He plants in single rows. 



" Mr. Anderson stated that after four years' at- 

 tention to this subject, he considered the Osage 

 orange hedge a humbug. 



"Gen. Worthington said that he had had more 

 than thirty years' experience in this matter, and 

 he agreed with Mr. Anderson, that hedging was a 

 humbug, because it would not pay. His observa- 

 tion had begun with the white thorn hedge, which 

 he deemed superior to any other kind. He was 



