THE CULTIVATOR. 
81 
Hussey’s Heaping Machine.— [Fig- 48 ] 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —At the request of several 
farmers of your State, I send a description of my Reaping 
Machine and its mode of operation, accompanied with such 
certificates as I can procure near at hand. The machine con¬ 
sists of a low frame resting on a pair of common wheels, with 
fills for one horse; the second horse is geared tandem. The 
main axle is square in the hubs of the wheels; on this axle is 
a cog wheel which communicates motion to the cutters. The 
part thus far described, follows directly behind the horses, and 
wholly on the stubble; the right wheel tracking very near the 
standing grain. A platform about five feet square extends 
from the right side of the frame, one edge of which is attach¬ 
ed to the frame by hinges; the opposite edge rests on a truck 
wheel. This platform lies near the ground and can be regu¬ 
lated to cut a stubble from 5 to 12 inches high. 
The cutting apparatus is placed on the front edge of the 
platform, ana is constructed ad follows:—A number of steel 
blades, 4 or 5 inches long, about 3 inches wide at the base, 
formed like lancet points, sharp on both edges, are riveted on an 
iron rod side by side, forming an instrument something like a 
coarse saw. In addition to this, there is a row of strong iron 
spikes fixed firmly to the edge of the platform and pointing for¬ 
ward horizontally; each spike is formed of an upper and a low¬ 
er piece, leaving a space through each spike for the blades to 
play in. As each blade occupies three inches on the rod, so 
there must be a spike to every three inches of the platform. 
The rod on which the blades are riveted, is moved by a crank 
having a sweep of three inches, causing all the blades to move 
at once; each blade vibrating between two spikes, passing out 
of one spike into the other, cutting the grain as it comes in 
between the spikes as the machine progresses ; each double 
spike forming a bearing to resist the straw both below and 
above the edge of the blades. The crank which moves the 
blades is connected with the cog wheel on the main axle, 
which must necessarily cause the vibration of the blades to be 
in proportion to the speed of the horses, whether that be a 
walk or trot. 
The motion of the machine forward, causes the heads of 
the grain to fall backwards on to the platform as it is cut; in 
this manner it accumulates on the platform in a heap leaving 
the stubble clean. The raker is seated on the main body of 
the machine with a rake of peculiar construction with which 
he pushes off the grain in separate heaps for binding. I can¬ 
not better describe the manner of using the rake than to say 
it is like paddling a boat, except instead of putting the paddle 
into the water, he puts the rake into the grain which has ac¬ 
cumulated on the platform, and slides it off in a body behind. 
It may appear on first consideration, that the bundles could 
not be distinctly separated while the grain is constantly fall¬ 
ing; experience proves that there is no difficulty in this what¬ 
ever, for the grain under the rake will readily pass from the 
machine without dragging with it any partof the next bundle. 
Hut the operation is still more complete when the rake, in¬ 
stead oi being put down on the prostrate grain, is put down a 
lew inches in advance of the cutters into the heads of the 
Z 101 yet Cllt; bytllis m eans, the bundle is swept clean 
off before other grain falls on the rake. The rake is used in 
this manner to great advantage, in lodged and tangled grain, 
«uso w hen the wind blows strong from behind, by way of as- 
sistmg the grain on to the platform. Besides the raker, a boy 
is required to drive, who rides on the shaft horse. As heavy 
grain is cut as fast as light, the number of bundles will depend 
on the quantity of grain to the acre, and the speed of driving, 
say from 4 to 10 binders, as the case may be. 
By several years experience, I have been enabled to add 
much to the durability of the machine, which I apprehend can 
now receive but little improvement further than I shall make 
this year. I manufacture machines in Baltimore, and niv 
brother Thomas R. Hussey, will manufacture them in Au- 
tiurn, W. Y., thisjear. The machine is warranted to cut 15 
acres of the heaviest wheat in a day, and save it much clean¬ 
er than is usually done by a good cradler, and to cut the whole 
season without sharpening. The price at the manufactory is 
1 he following certificates are from gentlemen of the 
$150. 
highest respectability. 
Baltimore, Md., April 10, 1841. 
OBED HUSSEY. 
Certificates. 
Last year I purchased a Reaping Machine of Mr. 0. Hus¬ 
sey, and it answered mv expectation fuly; it is very expedi¬ 
tious and saves the grain better than in any other wav with 
which I am acquainted. H. SCHWARTZE. 
Baltimore, April 9, 1841. 
This may certify that I have used a Reaping Machine 
wd.ich I - urchased of Mr. Hussey, in Baltimore! I cm my cron 
with lt-last harvest, to my entire satisfaction and without the 
slightest accident or interruption. It cuts clean and rapidly 
and leaves the gram in perfect order for binding, and is in ev¬ 
ery respect equal.to the recommendation given it by Mr. Hus¬ 
sey, mtlie American Farmer and other papers. As I found 
a decided advantage in the use of it myself, I can with confi¬ 
dence recommend it to others ; I have not the least doubt that 
before many years, the cultivators of wheat will find they can¬ 
not well do without it. WILLIAM TRIPP. 
Easton, Talbot Co., Md„ April 6, 1841. 
Having been applied to by Mr. Hussey, for my opinion of 
his Reaping Machine, I can freely say that is impossible for 
me to entertain a higher opinion of any machine than I do of 
the one which I purchased of him last year. It greatly ex¬ 
ceeded my expectations in every respect. Such was the con¬ 
dition of my crop, that I should have sustained material loss 
without the machine. I cut my heavy lodged wheat with it 
entirely clean; I could at any time cut as last as seven men 
could bind while doing their best. I feel no hesitation in re¬ 
commending it to every cultivator of wheat, as a great grain 
saving, as well as labor saving machine. 
WILLIAM JESSOP. 
Cockeysville, Baltimore Co., Md., April 7, 1841. 
Those wishing machines for the coming harvest, should 
send in their orders as early as possible. 
Plan of Barns and Cattle ITards. 
Messrs. Editors— -I consider it to be of the utmost impor¬ 
tance in so cold and variable a climate as this, that all our ani¬ 
mals should be well protected from the weather during the 
cold season, by good warm and comfortable stables and sheds; 
and not be left to shiver under the lee of a hay-stack, or even 
a rickety barn. This consideration, together with a request 
in one of the back volumes of the Cultivator, for plans of im¬ 
proved farm buildings, has induced me to send you a ground 
plan, together with a perspective view, of mine—not because I 
think them perfect, but because I think the plan as well or 
better adapted to the wants of many of the larger farmers in 
this portion of the country, as any 1 have seen. 
I prefer to have the ground sloping a little to the east, say 
about one foot in seven or eight, for convenience of digging a 
basement, which in this plan is of the same size as the bams, 
B. and C.; under the west end of the barn B. is a cellar for 
ruta bagas and potatoes, of one third the size of the building, 
partitioned off by a vvall of sixteen inches in thickness, com¬ 
posed of two tiers of brick, with a space of four inches be¬ 
tween them, which effectually excludes that enemy of roots_ 
Jack Frost. The remainder of the basement is to be used as 
a shelter for stock, or a portion may be partitioned off for a 
cart and wagon house. 
Perspective View—(Fig. 49 ) 
.,A * s a bor feet by 30. B. is a grain barn 
45 feet by 30. C. is a building 33 feet by 20, used Tor storin 0- 
hay- D. is a building connecting the two hay barns C. an5 
L. lb feet posts, the upper part is used for coarse fodder, &c. 
the south side of the lower part is an open shed 9 feet wide; 
the north side is divided into five stalls, each 9. feet by 11 
with doors opening into each yard (as seen in the ground plan 
j- j.) which I find very convenient for storing implements, 
cows to calve in, to keep large stock, &e. &c. E. is a barn 
hp by 35, m which are stables for stock. I prefer stables, 
and having the cattle secured by a rope around the horns to 
stantials, because the animals are more comfortable (which by 
the way is requisite to their thriving well) than where huddled 
together, with their necks jammed between 2 unyielding posts, 
and without room to extend their limbs, to say nothing of the 
risk of getting besmeared with their ordure (in which they are 
obliged to he) if one comes in contact with them. The floors 
ot the stables should slope backwards a little, sav about three 
inches, to cause the liquid manure to run off. I keep my sta¬ 
bles well littered with straw, buckwheat haulm, &c. to absorb 
the liquids, much of which would otherwise be lost. 
^ j* building placed on the east side of the yard, and is 
i j 1 * y 20, 16 feet P osts » low er part 8 feet high; is used as a 
shed; tne upper part is for storing coarse fodder, &c. My 
fences about the yards areG feet high, and made of boards ve- 
iy tight, and effectually break the wind, which I consider of 
nearly as much importance as havino- sheds. 
Explanation of Ground Plan—\ Fig. 49.]— a. Open shed— b. 
sheep yaru c. is a yard for young cattle— d. is a shed, they 
also run under the bam i.—e. is a “lean to” for hay —f. is a 
ba y jL threshing floor— h. bay— i, barn for hay— -j. j. j. j . j . 
stalls for large stock, &c. with doors p. p. opening into each 
vard— a. opens shed /. bay— m. floor— n. bay— o. o. passages 
lour feet wide in front of the stables for feeding stock—the 
two narrow parallel lines represent the feeding trough which 
is 2 ^ feet wide, 1 foot deep and raised 8 inches from the floor 
J................. ................ 
' l .G.« 
Ground Plan—(Fig. 50.) 
—the back side is 3j feet high and made sufficiently strong to 
tie the cattle to— p. doors—s. stables; there is, you will observe, 
a door leading from the stables to the floor— 1.1. passage lead¬ 
ing from the threshing floor in barn B. through C. and D. to 
E. I have windows over each of my great bam doors; also 
over both the stable doors. At each end of the passage o. o. 
js a bin to contain oats and salt for horses and cattle. There 
is a watering trough in the basement under the passage t. t. 
to which the cattle in both yards have access. Another in 
the sheep yard at x —G. gates. There are, you will observe, 
2 stables wide enough to drive in a span of horses or pair of 
exen to bait without unyoking them. 
I keep my stock yarded constantly, and disapprove altogeth¬ 
er of the plan of permitting them to stroll about the neighbor¬ 
hood where they please, and thus become a nuisance to my¬ 
self and neighbors, to say nothing of the manure lost thereby. 
I have excavated the middle of my yards so that they are of 
a concave form, being about three feet lower in the middle than 
at the sides, leaving a margin of about fourteen feet wide that 
is nearly level, ana which is wide enough to fodder upon. I 
use racks altogether, not choosing to have manure made of 
my hay before it is eat. To these reservoirs go all the liquids 
of the yards, and into them every spring and fall, I cartswamp 
mud, vegetable mold, leached ashes, potato tops, coarse grass, 
weeds, in short almost every thing of a vegetable nature, 
(which has no seeds of noxious weeds among it, which will 
be like to grow. By noxious weeds, I mean every useless 
plant. I think that a useless plant requires as much to sup¬ 
port it as a useful one, and returns nothing therefor—I endea¬ 
vor to exterminate them all.) These substances I spread about, 
and generally have enough to cover the yards to the depth of 
6 or 8 inches, and during the season repeatedly turn them over 
with a plow, that they may the more thoroughly become in¬ 
corporated with the dung of the animals, and they thereby in¬ 
crease in value very much; and, indeed, I find swamp mud 
is of comparatively little value without undergoing this process 
which induces fermentation, and fits it to afford that nutriment 
of which all plants stand in need, in order to form vegetable 
fibre; thus I make several hundred loads of choice manure, to 
say nothing of my hog dung. 
I intend soon to connect my hog pen with my barn yard in 
such a manner that the hogs may have the run of ihe yard, 
and perform the labor of turning over the manure, and "thus 
save me the trouble; a labor which I doubt not they will wil¬ 
lingly perform, as they are a very accommodating animal, al¬ 
ways being willing to do just as you wish to have them, pro¬ 
ceed you w,sb t0 bave them do just as they have a mind to. 
I have got to the bottom of my sheet without giving you a 
description of mv hog pen, and management of my stock, 
which I intended to do, but may still at a future occasion 
should this meet your approbation. 
One word more and I have done. In your last I noticed a 
communication from Solon Robinson on the subject of an 
American Society of Agriculture.” In my estimation it is the 
thing that can be done to promote the cause; and he 
shall have at least one ardent co-operator in this state; a state 
which needs the benefits to he derived from such a society as 
much as any other, for we are truly in the dark with respect 
to the improved modes of cultivating the soil, as well as other 
subjects relating to improved husbandry. 
I think that Barns and other out-buildings, look enough bet¬ 
ter fora coat of whitewash to pay the cost; all mine have re¬ 
ceived it. Directions for making an excellent kind are to be 
found in the fifth volume of the Cultivator. 
The above, such as it is, is at your disposal. 
Yours truly, ' j. jr t 
West Windsor, Vt. Feb. 1841. 
To Preserve Hams from Plies, 8tc. 
Tor a score of hams, take about 3 quarts of salt, 1 pint of 
molasses, £th of a pound of black pepper, and 2 ounces of salt 
petre pulverized ; mix well together; lay the hams on a table 
with the rind downwards; rub the mixture over them with the 
hand, taking care to apply it to every part where there is no 
rind ; let them lay a week, and rub them over with clear salt, 
which continue once a week for four or six weeks, according 
to the size of the hams, and they are ready to smoke; or if you 
choose after the mixture is sufficiently struck in, put them into 
brine for two or three weeks and smoke ; when smoked, hang 
them in a dry place. We hang ours in the garret where they 
will keep all summer, secure from flies. When a bam is cut 
for use, hang it or lay it where you please, the flies will not 
touch it. We have practiced this method for several years, 
and have no reason to abandon it. 
We have fed our milch cows about a peck of carrots per 
day each, through the winter; and the butter is as yellow as 
that made in summer, and equally as good. 
Great improvements have been made in swine in this sec¬ 
tion by the introduction of the Berkshires. We fatted 12 pigs 
last fall, (about nine months old when killed ;) average weight 
200 pounds. Their food was one bushel of beet? to two bush¬ 
els of potatoes, cooked in a cauldron kettle and meal mixed in 
the right kind of food for hogs, now-a-days. 
0 . D. G. MOSHER. 
Springport, Cayuga Co. N. Y., 3 d mo. 1841. 
To Cure Scratches on a Horse.— Wash the legs with 
warm strong soap suds, and then with beef brine. Two ap¬ 
plications will cure the worst case. 
