PICTORIAL CULTIVATOR ALMANAC. 31 
LABOR-SAVING MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS. 
There is no country in the world where manual labor 
bears so high a price in proportion to the value of agri¬ 
cultural products.) as in the United States. This is a 
strong reason why farmers should endeavor to lessen 
the cost of production by the use of labor-saving im¬ 
plements. Considerable progress has, in fact, been 
made in this direction within a few years, though such 
implements and machines are by no means so generally 
adopted as good economy would dictate. 
Harvesting Machines. —In the principal grain-grow¬ 
ing districts, these machines are of immense value. In 
some instances they enable the farmers to secure their 
crops at the proper season and in good order, when 
without them it would be entirely impracticable to pre¬ 
vent the loss of a greater portion on account of the 
scarcity of hand labor. The Prairie Farmer estimates 
that probably not less than 3 500 new reaping machines 
were put in use in the notth-west the past season— 
equal to the labor of 17,500 men. The credit of simpli¬ 
fying these machines, and bringing them into successful 
operation, belongs to American mechanics; though they 
were first tried, (but not practically introduced,) in 
England. They can be used in any clear ground, if the 
surface is not very irregular. Regular undulations, or 
large swells, do not materially affect their operation. 
Hussey’s, manufactured by O. Hussey, Baltimore, Md., 
and McCormick’s, manufactured at Chicago, Ill., and 
other places, are the kinds in most extensive use. A 
machine will cut from sixteen to eighteen acres in a 
day. The force required to operate them, is two horses 
and two men—one of the men to drive the team, and 
the other to rake off the grain from the machine and 
leave it in heaps. A gentleman who has lately seen 
McCormick’s machines in operation, says—“I could 
not but admire the perfect manner in which the wheat 
was cut and laid,—it being all cut very even , and about 
six inches from the ground.” 
Mowing Machines.— -A machine similar to the ma¬ 
chines above described, has been used, to some extent, 
for cutting grass. We are informed that it answers 
well f.»r timothy, or grass that has not much fine her¬ 
bage at bottom, but is liable to clog in fine, thick grass. 
Machines for sowing grain, both in drills or rows, 
and broadcast, are used to considerable extent in Wes¬ 
tern New-York. The broadcast machines are capable 
of sowing any kind of grain, grass seed, plaster, ashes, 
bone-dust, guano, lime, &,c., more evenly than they can 
be sown by hand. The force required is a horse and 
man—the latter riding on the machine and guiding the 
horse. It will sow twenty acres in a day. A machine 
of this kind, which has given good satisfaction, is made 
by P. Seymour, East Bloomfield, Ontario county, N. 
Y.. and costs $45. 
But the practice of sowing wheat in drills, is every 
year gaining favor, and this system of sowing is destined 
to become general. In England the system is already 
so well established, that it has been pronounced the 
“sheet-anchor of wheat husbandry.” English and 
Scotch machines have been introduced into this country, 
and have been improved as regards simplicity of con¬ 
struction and cheapness. Several kinds are used, as 
Palmer’s, Graggs &. Reynolds’, Sherman’s and Sey¬ 
mour’s. Their cost is from $55 to $80. These machines 
will sow any kind of grain with great exactness, and the 
seed deposited to the acre may be regulated to any 
quantity, from half a bushel to four bushels. The space 
between the rows for wheat, is nine to ten inches, and 
the seed is deposited from one and a half to two inches 
deep. A man and horse will sow twelve acres in a day. 
Horse-rakes. —One of these implements, one man 
and a horse will perform the work of ten men. The 
revolving wooden rake is most generally used. Its cost 
is from eight to ten dollars. Spring-tooth wire rakes 
have been tried, but are liable to the objection of making 
the hay gritty, from their scratching the ground so hard. 
A rake of somewhat new form, called “ Delano’s Horse- 
rake,” has been introduced, and is highly spoken of by 
those who have used it. It is attached to an axletree, 
with wheels. Each tooth has a separate joint at its up¬ 
per end, by which it is readily raised over stones or 
stumps. From the independence of the teeth, it also 
adapts itself to the surface of the ground, under any 
circumstances, and for this reason is approved for un¬ 
even fields, where the common revolving rake does not 
answer. 
Cultivators. —What are called “field cultivators,” 
are extensively used for working fallows. They are 
supported on wheels, and drawn by horses or oxen at¬ 
tached to them by means of a tongue. The teeth are 
made to penetrate the ground from two to five inches, 
by a graduating apparatus to which the frame in which 
they are placed is attached. The best teeth are made 
of cast-steel. These implements work the ground 
rapidly, and clean and loosen the soil in very perfect 
manner. A good team will go over ten to twelve acres 
in a day. 
KIND W ORDS—GSfTTHEM. 
Because they fall pleasantly on the ears of all to whom 
they are addressed, and is therefore one of the ways of 
promoting human happiness. 
Because they give an impression in your favor, and 
thus prepare the way for your greater influence over 
others for good. 
Because kind words powerfully contribute to soothe 
and quiet your own spirit when ruffled by the unkind¬ 
ness of others. 
Because they show the difference between you and 
the rude, malicious, or revengeful, and are suited to 
show them their wrong. 
Because they are suited to stir up the kind affections 
of your own heart. There is sweet music in such a voice 
rightly to affect the soul. 
Because they are so uncommon, use them that there 
may be more of such bright stars in our dark firma¬ 
ment. 
Because they aid in carrying out the divine injunction, 
“ Be courteous,” “ Be kindly affectionate one to ano¬ 
ther.” 
Because you cannot conceive of any truly benevolent 
being who would not use them. 
Because you have heard such words from your God, 
and hope to hear such -words forever.— American Mes¬ 
senger. -— 
DON’T FRET. 
It is unamiable. A fretting man or woman is one of 
the most unlovely objects in the world. A wasp is a 
comfortable housemate in comparison—it only stings 
when disturbed. But an habitual fretter buzzes if he 
don’t sting, with or without provocation. “ It is better 
to dwell in the corner of a house top than with a brawl¬ 
ing woman and in a wide house.” 
It is useless. It sets no broken bones, stops no leaks, 
gathers no spilt milk, cements no smashed pictures, 
cures no spoilt hay, and changes no east winds. It 
affects nobody but the fretter himself. Children or 
servants cease to respect the authority or obey the 
commands of a complaining, worrisome, exacting par¬ 
ent or master. They know that “barking dogs don’t 
bite,” and fretters don’t strike j and they conduct them¬ 
selves accordingly. ______ 
Striking Illustration. —At the Agricultural Con¬ 
vention held in Boston in March last, the presiding of¬ 
ficer, Hon. M. P. Wilder, in the course of an able speech 
showing the advantage of improving agriculture, gave 
the following example: “ We have 150,000 cows in this 
Commonwealth. Suppose science enable these, or im¬ 
proved breeds, to yield one additional quart of milk per 
day, this, at three cents per quart, would increase the 
productive capital of the state $4,500 per day, or $1,- 
642,500 per year; or if tw r o quarts per day, a gaia of 
more than three millions of dollars annually.” 
No man has ever regretted that he was virtuous and 
honest in his youth, and kept aloof from idleness. 
