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158 THE CULTIVATOR. 
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Injury. More than thirty lambs of his get have already 
made their appearance, and it is stated there is a pros¬ 
pect of more. They were from breeding ewes of the 
best quality, which would have brought, had they been 
put to the buck which the owner intended, the most 
valuable stock for breeding; but as it is, the lambs are 
of no value in this respect. 
RECEIPT FOR DYSPEPSIA. 
C. C., of Union Yale, sends us the following receipt, 
the efficacy of which he vouches for:—“Make one 
quart of wormwood tea, and add to it one pint of best 
St. Croix rum, and brown sugar to the taste. It should 
be taken two or three times a day, from a fourth to 
half a gill at a time.” 
R. Johnson, of East-Groveland, N. Y., states that he 
grafts or buds roses in the spring as soon as the bark 
will peal. This he thinks has the advantage over sum¬ 
mer budding, as there is more sap in circulation, and 
the bud is less liable to dry. 
John S. Yeomans, oTColumbia, Ct., informs us that 
George Williams of that town killed a hog last fall 
eighteen months old, that weighed 660 pounds. We 
are not informed of what breed this hog was, but it is in¬ 
timated that he was not of the “ land-shark” race. 
ANOTHER EGG-LAYING STORY. 
Having seen frequent articles in your paper where 
the Poland Top-Knot fowls were highly recommended 
as layers, I was induced in the spring of 1844 to pur¬ 
chase some eight or ten of them in order to test the 
differences, if any, between them and the common 
breed. From observation I soon became satisfied that 
they were rightly called “everlasting layers,” from the 
fact that while the latter were continually annoying me 
with a desire to sit, the former showed no signs of it, 
but continued laying during the whole season. I 
raised a number of chickens during the summer, and in 
the fall found my number of Top-Knots had increased 
to 30, including two cocks. The balance of my poul¬ 
try I disposed of, and more out of curiosity than any 
thing else, I concluded to keep an exact account of 
eggs received for one year, from Jan. 1, 1845. My 
number averaged but twenty-six, five of them having 
died during the vear. My receipts were as follows: 
January,.. 
.... 135 
July,. 
. 361 
February, 
.... 142 
August,.... 
. 311 
March,... 
.... 418 
September,. 
. 284 
April,.... 
.... 549 
October, ... 
. 104 
May,. 
.... 566 
November,. 
. 51 
J une, .... 
.... 534 
Making .. 
December, . 
. 32 
3,487 
Reckoning them at one shilling per dozen, which 
price they command three months in a year in our mar¬ 
ket, they would amount to the sum of,. $36.32 
Deduct 13 bushels each of corn and barley, at 
40 cts.,. 10.40 
Leaving a balance of.. $25.92 
My yard occupies about one square rod of ground, a 
part of which is enclosed with rough boards to afford 
them shelter in stormy weather, and containing their 
nests and roosts, with an abundant supply of lime, sand, 
gravel, food and drink, which is alwaj'S before them. 
They are not allowed to run out during any part of the 
season, and their desire for animal food is satisfied with 
now and then a sheep’s pluck, and a supply of sour milk, 
of which they are extremely fond. 
As regards the preservation of eggs perfectly fresh, 
and with very little trouble, for six or eight months 
during the year, or from March to December, I would 
recommend the foLowing, having thoroughly proved it 
the past season:— For every two galls, water add three 
pints salt, one quart newly slacked lime, and a table 
spoonful of cream of tartar. Let the keg stand in a cool 
part of the cellar, putting in your eggs from time to 
time, and brine sufficient to cover them. If they are 
fresh when put in, they will come out so after any rea¬ 
sonable length of time, as fresh and handsome as new 
laid eggs. Yours, &c., Joseph Annin. 
Le Roy, Genesee Co., N. F. 
HEMP AND FLAX DRESSING MACHINE. 
Mr. Tucker —In the last, number of the Cultivator 
you ask information respecting a “ machine for dress¬ 
ing and breaking hemp and flax, said to have been pre¬ 
sented at the exhibition of the American Institute last 
fall, by Mr. Billings, of New-Hampshire.” 
I presume you refer to the hemp and flax breaking 
and dressing machines, invented by Messrs. G. W. 
Billings and John Harrison, of Missouri, as they were 
exhibited at the last Fair of the American Institute, by 
Mr. Billings, and received the flattering award of a 
gold medal. Having been employed by Messrs. B. & 
H. to prepare their drawings and papers, and to transact 
their business at the Patent Office, as their agent and 
attorney, I take pleasure in giving you the information 
you desire. Messrs. Billingsand Harrison secured three 
patents—one for a method or process of water-rotting 
hemp or flax, which they perfectly accomplish in from 
three to four days, without injury to the health of the 
workmen employed in handling it, or to the neighbor¬ 
hood where the operation is carried on. 
Their second patent is for a machine for breaking and 
scutching hemp and flax, winch operates as follows:— 
The hemp or flax is placed upon a revolving endless 
apron, which conducts it betw'een a pair of pressure 
rollers, (the pressure being very great;) from these it 
passes between a series of fluted rollers, and thence it 
emerges on to a series of rotating blades or knives, the 
ends of which are secured in a radial position in circu¬ 
lar heads. Over the rotating knives, and parallel with 
the same, are arranged three vibrating knives, so ar¬ 
ranged and combined, that they strike in succession one 
after the other, between each of the rotating knives; 
thereby giving the hemp or flax a thorough scutching 
while passing from the fluted rollers, by the double ac¬ 
tion of the rotary and reciprocating movement of 
scutching blades. 
Messrs. Billings & Harrison’s third patent is for a 
revolving hackle. It is constructed and operates as 
follows:—The hackle teeth are arranged upon a cylin¬ 
der in continuous rows, commencing at the centre and 
diverging spirally to the right and left around the same 
to the ends of the cylinder. In front of the revolving 
hackle, an elastic rest is placed at a suitable distance; 
the hemp or flax to be operated upon by the hackle is 
placed between the centre of the rest and the toothed 
cylinder ; the peculiar arrangement of the hackle teeth 
causes them to open and spread the substance acted upon 
gradually to the entire length of the rest, thereby in¬ 
suring a thorough and equal action upon every part. 
By the aid of Messrs. B. & H.’s inventions, hemp or 
flax may be water-rotted, broken, dressed, and baled, 
in merchantable order, ready for market, in the space 
of a week from the time of its being taken from the 
field. Respectfully yours, Z. C. Robbins, 
Mechanical Eng’r and Agt. for procuring Patents. 
Washington, D. C., April 14, 1846. 
“FRUIT FOR COOKING.” 
If W. R. Prince will examine the article on “Com¬ 
stock’s Garden Apple,” and judge a little less hastily 
and superficially, he will see that I have not “fallen 
into a very great error.” I never denied that some 
fruits not fit for eating, were not good when cooked, 
provided, (and here is his great mistake,) plenty of su¬ 
gar and spices are added . Many kinds of good table 
fruit need no sugar and spices for flavoring them. Let 
him read my article over again and he will see what I 
mean. The writer who described 
Comstock's Garden Apple . 
