THE CULTIVATOR. 
355 
It. jnay be questioned whether hedges will ever be ex¬ 
tensively used where timber or stones are plenty. But 
as many places are destitute, or likely to become so, ex¬ 
periments to determine their practicability must become 
very desirable. The disposition to neglect is so preva¬ 
lent with most farmers, that the great care and attention, 
and constant culture, so necessary, will not be given, and 
success cannot take place in such cases. But with skil¬ 
ful management and enterprise they will doubtless be 
found highly profitable; that if good they will prove a 
great rural embellishment, we all know; and that those 
who have fruit gardens to protect from rogues, will find 
them the greatest security, is equally self-evident. 
HANGING GATES. 
a 
The convenience of a self-shutting gate, is such as to 
need no argument to prove its utility. Various expedi¬ 
ents are resorted to, and we see all over the country, 
chains and ropes with suspended weights 
to cause gates to shut of their own ac¬ 
cord. But all this tackle and rigging 
is avoided, if the gate is hung to its 
post with a proper inclination. 
The mode of hanging a gate so as to 
shut by its own. weight, is represented 
in the annexed figures. Fig. 98 shows 
the post set perpendicularly in the 
ground. On the face of this post the 
plumb line a 5 is to be drawn. Then 
bore the hole for the upper hinge at c, 
one inch to the left of this line, and for 
the lower hinge one inch to the right. 
When the gate therefore is hung, the 
j & turning point of the upper hinge will 
be two inches more to the left than the 
turning point of the lower. This will 
cause the gate to fall to the left or 
towards E; but if it is opened wider 
than a quarter of a circle, it will then 
begin and fall the other way or wider open. To obviate 
this, let the upper hook in the post project two inches 
more than the lower, and the lower eye on the gate pro¬ 
ject two inches more than the upper eye, as shown in 
fig. 99; the gate then will fall shut, if not opened more 
than three quarters of 
the semi-circle, which 
is about as wide as is 
generally needed. The 
distance between the 
gate and the post in 
the figure is represent¬ 
ed as greater than in 
fact, to exhibit the 
principle more plain¬ 
ly. Reversing the po¬ 
sition of the holes, 
placing the upper one 
to the right and the 
lower to the left of the 
plumb, will of course 
make the gate fall to 
the right as circum- 
Fl &* "• stances may require. 
Although always desirable that the gate should shut 
itself, it is often convenient when opened nearly to its 
extreme limit, that it fall the other way, in order to re¬ 
main open without fastening. If this limit is little more 
than a quarter of a circle, it may be hung merely 
indicated in fig. 98. If more than three-quarters of 
the semi-circle, let it be hung as shown by the two 
figures combined. But, to be applicable to all circum¬ 
stances, the principle should be known; which is this 
suppose the gate is hung so as to swing freely through 
the whole circle—if the two turning points are in the 
same perpendicular line, it will of course remain at rest 
wherever it is placed, and not turn of itself. But if the 
perpendicular line from the upper falls to a point a short 
distance from the lower, then a line connecting this 
point with the lower turning point, will show the direction 
the gate will remain at rest. A figure, (fig.100,) will make 
•4 
*o 
V 
Fig. 100. 
this plainer; letabe the 
lower turning point, and 
b the upper; then the 
gate will remain at rest 
in the direction of the 
line d b, and the highest 
point of elevation, from 
which it will fall both 
ways, will be e. But if 
c be the upper turning 
point, the gate will re¬ 
main on the line/, c, and 
the highest point of ele¬ 
vation will be g. 
Th eforce with which 
the gate will fall shut will be as the distance of the low¬ 
er turning point from the plumb line; where this dis¬ 
tance is small, it will shut slowly; where it is great, it 
will fall rapidly against the post. By cutting a screw 
on the part of the lower hinge which enters the gate, the 
distance from the post may be changed by the nut a, fig, 
99, and the gate thus raised or lowered at pleasure to 
avoid the inconvenience of the sinking of the post, or of 
obstruction from snow. 
Figure 101 represents an ex¬ 
cellent and cheap gate latch, 
made by bending a half-inch 
rod of iron in the shape in¬ 
dicated, and fastening it by 
an iron pin on which if moves 
at a. Its weight causes it to 
fall against the post. If bent 
in the direction of the dotted 
line and and moving on a pin 
at b, it will fall more quickly. 
If any one should think too 
much space is occupied by 
these apparently trifling mat- 
z 
J 
1 = 
IP 
II - * 
Fig. 101. 
ters, let him calculate the labor of dragging a single 
gate over the ground for one year, and fastening it by 
tying a cord or leather strap round it every time. If 
passed ten times a day—many are passed five times the 
number—it would be more than three thousand times a 
year. To drag open and shut and fasten such a gate, 
that number of times without stopping, would be hard 
indeed; and the labor would pay for many gates, hinges, 
fastenings and all. 
AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 
The spirit which has this year been evinced in regard 
to the exhibitions of agricultural societies, is highly 
gratifying. From all parts of the country we are re¬ 
ceiving accounts of these exhibitions, and all agree that 
the interest and zeal manifested, is beyond any former 
precedent. We regard this as a positive indication of 
the advance of agricultural improvement—it shows that 
the people are awaked to its importance, and that a de¬ 
termined action is aroused, the beneficial results of which 
cannot fail to be experienced. 
From this state, we have already received accounts 
from fifteen county societies, the exhibitions of which 
were held as follows:—Cayuga co. at Auburn, Oct. 8th 
and 9th—Herkimer co. at Herkimer, Sept. 25th and 26th 
—Oswego co. at Oswego, Oct. 00—Chautauque co. at 
Eorestville, Sept. 24th and 25th—Westchester co. at 
White Plains, Oct. 8th—Erie co. at Buffalo, Oct. 8th— 
Montgomery co. at Canajoharie, Oct. 8th—Columbia co. 
at Hudson, Oct. 7th—Onondaga co. at Syracuse, Oct. 8th 
_Ulster co. at Rosendale, Oct. 7th and 8th—Madison co. 
at Hamilton, Oct. 1st—-Wyoming co. at Perry, Oct. 1st 
and 2d—Wayne co. at Palmyra, Oct. 1st and 2d—Rens¬ 
selaer co. at Troy, Oct. 8th and 9th—Greene co. at Cairo, 
Oct. 00 
From Vermont, also, we have accounts from several 
societies. The Addison county society held its exhibi¬ 
tion at Middlebury, Oct. 2—Chittenden co. at Burlington, 
Sept. 24 and 25—Windsor co. atNewfane, Oct. 1. From 
Connecticut and Massachusetts we have likewise accounts, 
which, as well as those from other states, we shall notice 
as we find room. 
