Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-09-27
GoknYss
MACHINE FOR PEELING WILLOWS.

When we consider the variety of profitable uses
to which Willows may be applied, and the extent
to which they are cultivated in other countries, and
the amount imported into this country, the ques-
ton naturally arises why hassO little attention been
paid to growing them in the United States One
reason is, American farmers have not known that
Willows were cultivated by any one. They have
seen plenty of Willow baskets, and cradles, and
bottles covered with Willow, but they never thought
it was planted and cultivated purpose for these
things. Then, again, those who first undertook
the culture of Willows in this country, were unac
quainted with the business, and obliged to 60
through with many experiments, before they fully
succeeded; and when they did succeed in raising
them to perfection, it was found on account of the
great scarcity and high price of labor, that they
could not be raised very extensively in this coun-
try, without Power Machine for peeling them, as
they must be peeled in very short time, while the
bark will slip, in the Spring and the operation
of peeng by hand in the old way, is very slow and
laborous, and would require number Of hands to
peel what would grow on single acre.
But this objection is entirely done away with by
a Machine for peeling them-which is shown
above-and which can be operated by horse Or any
other power, and can be made of various sizes,
and to do any amount of work required. The
Machine consists Of frame eight feet long, three
feet wide, and two and a half feet high. On one
end of the frame are hung two rollers, seven in
ches in diameter, one made of India Rubber, and
the other of wood or iron, so hung that they will
roll together, one over the other, and having
also an endwise or vibrating motion of an inch on
each one, given by the lever with fulcrum in the
centre between the rollers, as shown in the figure
A. r r.
ers one set seven and the other set three inches in
diameter-all made of India rubber. The small
roll together with the same speed as the large
rollers the front end of the machine, and the 9TH
er large ones have about eight times the velocity
When the machine is in motion, the operator takes
bundle of Willows, and, with the help of table
which is not shown in the fgure-feeds them in
to the front rollers the same as straw is fed into
threshing machine, when the vibrating motion
loosens the bark and tears it to pieces. They are
then carried along on belt to the small rollers,
and the large end passes through them, when the
large rollers, which run much faster, seize them
and strip them through, and throw them out clean,
while the small ones hold the loose bark which
then rolls through and drops at the end of the Ma
chine in pile by itself.
Such is the simple working of this labor-saving
Machine. 1t separates the bark from the Will
lows very rapidly without in the least inuring the
Willows. A machine can be seen in operation
at any time at the residence of the subscriber.
| might procure any number of names of those
who have seen the Machine work, to prove that it is
all that represent it to be-and so Knight tit
was good for nothing therefore I do not consider
that names would be satisfactory proof of the ut-
ity of the Machine. But any one can come and see
it work, when they will be fully satisfied If there
are any that cannot come and see, but wish some
other proof, would refer them to the following
gentlemen, who have seen it work, and areacquain-
ted with the business, viz.-ERAsTUs Parker,
ESQ, Waterbury, vt. Hon. DANIEL P. THOMPSON,
Montpelier, VT, and Messrs. JEWELL, HARRISON &
Co., No. 81 Water Street, New York.