THE CULTIVATOR. 
211 
gust, when well up, mow close to the ground. They 
require no raking—if any start the third season, serve 
them in like manner, and that is the end of them. 
This course with me has always proved successful. 
For further proof, examine your meadows that are 
mowed every year—there are no ferns growing. C. S. 
Shelburne , Mass. —— 
Saving Clover Seed by Machinery. 
A very interesting communication lately appeared 
in the American Farmer, from Edward Stabler, of 
Sandy Spring, Md., one of the most intelligent and 
best practical farmers of our country, on the use of the 
mowing and reaping machine as a saver of labor. 
From a note just received from him in relation to the 
same subject, he says, “ I do not in the least doubt 
that the mowing and reaping machine has fully saved 
half its cost to me in the last harvest—and even more, 
if I had taken into the account, the loss in my grass 
and grain erops without it. Hands with us could not 
be procured sufficient for both erops in proper season, 
and many'who depended on hand work had to neglect 
the grass to save the grain. I have no interest in any 
machine, but I feel a great interest in helping on my 
brother farmers, north and south, in lightening their 
burdens.” 
We furnish the following extracts from the article 
we have referred to above, which will amply repay 
a perusal, and show the economy, even to those culti¬ 
vating small farms, of the machinery alluded to. The 
public will await with interest further information on 
the particular kind of contrivance used in these exper¬ 
iments for raking the cut grass off at the side of the 
machine. On the subject of cleaning clover seed, some 
very valuable hints may be obtained. 
A large portion of my crop of clover seed the past 
season was so fallen and lodged, that scarcely half the 
seed could be saved with the cradle; consequently, we 
were compelled to resort to the slow and expensive 
mowing with scythes, or use the machine. The trial 
with cradles, resulted in breaking out the fingers, and 
leaving much of the best, seed uncut; the scythe was 
both too slow and too wasteful. Indeed to look over 
the fallen and tangled mass of vegetation, persons un¬ 
acquainted with the machine would have supposed it 
impossible to cut it clean, with any thing short of the 
scythe. 
The machine (one of Hussey’s improved) was set to 
cut rather higher than for mowing, and by a side de¬ 
livery of my own construction, the seed was delivered 
at the side and out of the track, in straight loose bunch¬ 
es in the best -possible order for curing and taking up 
afterwards; and with almost the precision of clock 
work. It was one of the most beautiful and perfect 
farm operations I ever saw—scarcely leaving a head 
standing to the acre, and literally leaving nothing for 
the rake to glean afterwards. It was completely cut 
and raked, in about Qne4hird the time the same hands 
could have properly raked it alone. We would occa¬ 
sionally, though not often necessary, throw out of gear, 
pass on through the cleaved track, and only cut across 
and against the lean ; in this way every head raised 
up 4 to 5 inches high, or above the guards, [snakes 
heads included] was not only cut, but saved on the 
platform. We could well afford to lose a little time in 
this way, when the machine was doing the work of 
full ten to a dozen scythes. 
The seed is usually left from 5 to 10 da,ye in this 
state, in order to make it hull more readily; and a 
shower or two on it, improves it both for the threshing 
and hulling operations. At a leisure time in winter, 
and in cold dry weather, we pass it through the com¬ 
mon wheat thresher to separate the heads from the 
straw. If in good order for threshing, the spike con¬ 
caves are removed, and blank ones substituted in their 
places, which answer a better purpose ; avoids cutting 
up the straw, and rendering the raking much less te¬ 
dious. 
The next operation is the hulling; this is done ei¬ 
ther by running it two or three times through the same 
81 machine (spike concaves’replaced) as fast as it can be 
forced in by a board fitting the opening, and having a 
short handle in the center, 15 or 18 inches long. It is 
then fanned, when the unhulled seed, falling near the 
fan, and being much reduced in bulk, may all soon 
be hulled by passing 4 or 5 times through the machine ; 
or secondly, by an opening to feed in the front of the 
thresher, about 9 or ilO inches wide, and another open¬ 
ing at back, at the opposite end of the cyliuder, the 
chaff' passing diagonally through ; but this plan with¬ 
out much care, is very apt to cut or break too much 
seed ; neither does it save much time, as the feeding 
is necessarily slow. 
After some remarks of a more general nature on the 
different kinds of reapers, and in which further practi¬ 
cal knowledge is needed, he makes the following very 
just remarks: 
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 stones, and with the knives cutting 
through the earth and gravel, is about as reasonable, 
and as profitable too, as for a mechanic to undertake 
to plane up his boards covered with grit, or driven 
through with nails. —— 
Training Colts. 
Mr. Tucker —Your correspondent H. N. E. inquires 
“ how to break colts.” I will give him the benefit of 
my experience. While the colts follow the mare, or at 
the time of weaning, is the proper time to halter them. 
At first lead the dam in advance, and let the colt fol¬ 
low. If it refuses to obey the halter when pulled, turn 
it one way and the other a few times, and it will soon 
obey. If haltered a,t this early age, they are easily 
managed, and there is little or no danger of injury to 
the colt. Continue to handle them while young, and 
they will seldom beepme unmanageable. The winter 
before they are two years old, it will do to begin with 
the “ bitting-bridlel” Ho not buckle them up too tight 
at first, or leave them in the bit too long—an hour will 
do—which may be repeated in two or three days. It 
is well to exercise them in this way several times— 
then attach long reins to the bit, and drive them about 
the yard. Do this a few times, when you may har¬ 
ness them with a quiet gentle horse and drive not more 
than two miles, as, if they get tired and discouraged, 
it is apt to break their spirits. Always use gentle means 
—never whip a colt. It is the whip that makes more 
balky horses than anything else. 
The best feed for eolts is good clover hay, cut, with 
bran, or shorts. It is also the cheapest. Carrots are 
excellent for eolts, say about four quarts per day. The 
first winter is the trying time for colts. It is then that 
they require nursing and extra feed. I keep mine in 
a stable without any floor, and give them regular dai- 
iv exercise, which I consider important. J. Brandon. 
