70 
Report on the Agricultural Implements at 
round. A balance-weight on the left side of the wheel is employed to keep the 
mill face to wind: when the force of the gale overcomes this weight, the 
mill is brought edge to wind, and stops. The frame is constructed of four 
pieces of timber, bolted together like a camp-stool. The turn-table sets on an 
anti-friction table with 16 chilled-iron balls. The delicacy of motion thus 
secured allows of a comparatively short vane being used. 
The vane-bearer has a spring clutch acting on the crank-wheel, stopping the 
motion immediately if required. The shaft casting is made in two parts, 
With india-rubber between to compensate for wear. This mill appears well 
made, and suitable for a farmer's work. 
The last engine I shall allude to is that of Gammon and Bering, Chicago, 
of which a small specimen was shown inside the building. The rosette is in 
six sections, actuated by a spring and leverage, which cause the fans to open. 
The stroke is made also to vary with the force of the wind. This is effected 
by having the crank-shaft bent, and acted on by a spring on the rosette 
standard ; when the wind is strong, the crank is forced back and the stroke 
is lengthened. The connecting-rod is attached to the crank by a ball-and- 
socket adjustment. 
This is ingenious, but, as the action depends upon the rigidity of a spring, 
I should be afraid on the score of durability. 
Chaff- Cutters, Pulpcrs, Sfc. — I was not surprised to find that 
this class of machinery was less advanced than some others. In 
the Western States, especially, very little has as yet been done in 
the way of food preparation ; manure has hitherto been an incum- 
brance, and the scarcity of labour has precluded that attention 
to cattle-feeding, which hereafter will be found remunerative. 
In the State of Pennsylvania I inspected one farm near Harris- 
burg, comprising about 1200 acres, on which the whole of the 
corn stalks were chopped up and then steamed for cattle-food — 
and, what is more to the point, the whole of the grain was ground 
up and given to fatting-cattle and pigs. 
Of the few Chaffers exhibited by the Americans, I liked best those of Messrs. 
Silver and Denning, Salem, Ohio, which have a good safety arrangement in 
case stones or pieces of iron get into the box. In common with most of the 
American choppers, the knives are not fixed on the fly-wheel, but are attached 
to the shaft by means of projecting arms, the fly-wheel being placed at the 
end of the shaft. The attachment is by means of a friction-cone ; when any- 
foreign substance comes in contact with the knife, the latter is checked and 
almost instantly stopped, whilst the fly-wheel continues to revolve. The 
throat-piece is concave, and the cut is made in a slanting direction. The upper 
roller has 3 inches play, rising accurately on both sides by means of racks, 
and thus securing great capacity. The mode of altering the size of cut 
by shifting a cluster of gear-wheels is ingenious and convenient. The lower 
roller is smooth, the upper one ribbed. The medium-sized machines are 
fitted with two knives, and can be readily adjusted to cut i, J, or li inch 
chaff. Whereas the largest machines with four knives will cut \, jj, and 
j inch in length, without the removal of any of the gear-wheels, or the 
substitution of others. The knives are shielded by a cover ; and the larger 
machines are very efficient. The knives require to be sharpened once a day. 
The Canadians are decidedly ahead in this description of machinery. 
Mr. John Watson, of Ayr, Ontario, whose general collection of useful imple- 
ments merits recognition, exhibited several chaff-cutters constructed upon the 
