148 
MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND AHT. 
ing, brings another of its bolts in contact with tlie roil, 
when similar action results. These bolts are set accord* 
ing to the size of the sheaves desired. Of course if the 
bolts are few in number the sheaves will be large; if 
numerous, the latter will be smaller in relative propor¬ 
tion. In the model the bolts arc now set to deposit the 
produce of each six inches square—thus representing 
six feet with the machine in practice. The knives are 
eight in number, and sharp on both sides, and in the 
model are each It inch in length. At one end they are 
attached to a bar, and work in slides formed -so as to 
impart to the knives in their action, the true art of 
cutting—somewhat similar, in fact, to the action of a 
sickle in the hand of a reaper. They push forward and 
draw backward, and at the same time sweep to the right 
and left. They are worked simultaneously by a crank 
and a lever 4 inches long in the model. The crank is 
worked by the fly-wheel, and for one revolution of the 
main wheel, which embraces 18 inches, the crank re¬ 
volves 12 times; and the knives being 1J inch in 
length, for every revolution of the main wheel or 
motive power the knives cut an area of 30 inches close. 
Directly above the knifo is a rake which separates for 
each knife its proper proportion of straw, and at the 
base of each augle formed by the teeth is a round hole 
larger than the narrowest part of the angular aperture, 
which prevents any possibility of clogging. At the oft’ 
side of the machine, directly in front, is a spear which 
separates the wheat. All passing inside is r iught by 
the knives, whilst all on the outside of the track is 
guided off by a guard and passes clear of the machine. 
From the above description it will be seen that all the 
machinery is governed by the main wheel, and if the 
latter moves at the rate of either one mile per hour or 
twenty, it will nevertheless cause the work to be per¬ 
formed with equal exactitude and in a corresponding 
ratio. At the front, on the near side, and removed 
from all interference with the proper action of the ma¬ 
chine, is a pole to which the horses used for propelling 
the machine will be attached, and a seat above for the 
driver.” , 
The Chairman said lie thought Mr. Mark¬ 
ham was deserving of a vote of thanks for 
his valuable paper on Improvements in 
agriculture, as well as for the description 
of the reaping machine, invented by him— 
which vote was carried by acclamation. 
The Secretary stated that the papers and 
model had been forwarded to the Society 
by the President; and read a letter from 
Mr. Markham to Alfred Denison, Esq., in 
which he mentions having invented a 
wheat-sowing machine, capable of sowing 
any given quantity of wheat, in drills four 
inches apart, and three inches deep ; and 
that this machine will sow, harrow, and 
cover from eight to ten acres per day. 
Mr. Markham also mentions that he is the 
inventor of a digging machine, for work¬ 
ing stubble or cultivated land, which can 
be constructed to any amount of horse or 
bullock power, and by attaching two 
horses, the machine will be equal to four 
ploughs. 
VETCHES AMOMO LEGHORN WHEAT. 
Mr. Creswick remarked, that in some 
of the wheat which he had obtained from 
this society he had remarked, a vetch, and 
stated that it was very often found that 
injurious weeds had been introduced into 
the Colony with imported seeds. 
No ballot being demanded, tlie gentle¬ 
men proposed at the last meeting became 
members, together with Mr. E. Lynch, 
who was proposed at the last Council 
meeting. 
NEW MEMBER PROPOSED. 
Mr. W. Mordeau, George’s river. 
PAPER FOR NEXT MONTH. 
Mr. T. W. Shepherd—Native Plants, 
and tlie Pastoral, Agricultural, and Horti¬ 
cultural Resources of Australia. 
The next monthly meeting will he held 
on Tuesday, 5th January, 185S. 
^ To Alfred Denison, Esquire. 
Sir,—I desire, to offer a few remarks, the result 
of practical experience amt long observation, 
which I hope will be of some service with reference 
to agriculture in this colony. 
In doing so, I do not pretend to assume the po¬ 
sition of an Essayist, or to deal with agriculture 
generally; my object is to show tho necessity for a 
better system of cultivation. 
The division of the matter connected with the 
subject upon which I intend to treat are as fol¬ 
lows ;— 
1st. Subsoil ploughing, and turning the sod. 
2nd. Sowing of wheat. 
3rd. Smut in wheat. 
1st. Subsoil, is the under soil which is protected 
hv the surface soil, and when allowed to remain 
undisturbed bv the plough, it is generally too hard 
for roots to penetrate, and consequently continues 
comparatively rich in vegetative nutriment. Sub¬ 
soil ploughing adds more to vegetation than the 
original nutriment it contains; it absorbs and pro¬ 
tects from atmospheric action a certain portion of 
moisture and decomposed vegetable matter, which 
would otherwise be carried off by evaporation; but 
there it is contained, protected by its depth, and 
accessible only to the roots of the plant. All 
vegetables are supplied with tap roots, which pene¬ 
trate the soil, and sustain tlie plant in its position ; 
they are also provided with smaller roots, which 
supply the plant with nourishment; anil wbere- 
ever this nourishment abounds within their reach, 
there will they be found most numerous. Nature 
gave to man reason, to the beast instinct, but to 
plants and herbs she gave a law of attraction, 
which is not less faithful in performing that duty 
which nature has assigned it. 
Repeated cropping impoverishes the soil; to 
every agriculturist this is the result of practical 
experience, yet many are ignorant of the cause. 
All vegetable matter consists of earth, air, and 
water, and the ground becomes impoverished by 
the absorption of its nutriment by each successive 
crop, the crops in reality being the fatness of the 
land, and consequently each crop removed is a 
portion of the soil. 
Nature's laws are perfect, the whole is perpetual 
motion, degenerating and regenerating—the death 
of one substance essential to the life of another. 
