Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-03-25
NEW INVENTIONS.

'c nave to-uay hhu an opportunity 10
examine three new inventions, which prom.
ise great utility, convenience and safety to
the public.
The fret is an agricultural implement,
adapted to the improved and improving con-
d,ion Of agriculture at the present day, in
which vegetables are being raised to a much
greater extent than formerly for all manner Of
farm stock, particularly sheep and milcb cows.
Our farmers are yet far behind the best Eu-
ropaon Agriculturalsts, who make a root crop
one Of the three OF four in regular rotation,
as surely as farmers here make a grain crop
one Of the regular rotation but as surely a.
our agriculture advances, it approaches them
in this respect. While they are not satisfied
with cutting their roots as fine as may be, but
CRATE into pulp to mix with ground straw.
until recently we have been content with feed
ing taem whole, dirt and all, or cut eoArsey
with shovel Within a few years, several
machines have betn invented for cutting roots;
some cut them into rectanguly " chunks" 8"
some into strips, and both better than no cut
ting The one VIC have just examined not
only cuts them into thin, pliable bits, finer
than any other but it cleans them before cut
ting, taking from one to three quarts Of dirt
from bushel Of ordinary tutnips. II our
wives made us lords Of creation eat that pro-
portion ofdirt with OUT vegetables, wouldn't
we pray for divorce right early There is
no doubt that stock has suffered much from
being compelled to eat so much dirt in order
10 get the roots they crave getting their
teeth and throat so sore that it is painful to
cat, and so will no, eat enough to thrive, If
not actually grow poor. The dirt thus eaten
may not only cause soreness Of the teeth,
throat &c. but, mechanical irritant, pro-
duces inflammation, more or less, Of the stomach
the good effects designed by the use Of the
roots, II not produce death or chronic disease
Therefore it's very evident that every root
cutter, that is not capable Of first cleaning the
roots, is very imperfect.
The next article examined was trace
lock''-a very neat simple, but effective tx
ture, to supercede the ordinary mode used to
retain the trace or tug upon the stubb in the
end OF the whiffistree. It consists Of two
pieces Of malleable iron and spring weighing
perhaps Ia ounces, so constructed and ar
ranged that it requires no separate manipula-
tions to operate it. The simple act Of clasp
ing the whifistree, TO steady It while putting
on the tug, raises the lock so that the tug
can 60 on freely, and letting 20 allows the
lock to encrcle the tug, going through the
eye in the stubb, and thus retaining the tug
in lts place with perfect safety and oonye-
nience. 1t seems to be decidedly the best
arrangement for the purpose we have seen.
The third article was an " adjustable hold
back, the only article for the purpose, we are
told, that has ever been patented, and 1t sure
ly appears to be worthy of the honor. Al
most every man, who has used different sized
horses 10 his carrage, has been often vexed by
the difficulty in adjusting them to the proper
distance from the cross-kar, so that they will
guide and manage it up and down grades to
the best advantage. This hold back" is Of
malleable iron, 30 attached to the under side
of the shafts or pole, that it can be instanta-
neously moved to any desired distance from
the &C "cross-bar," where it must remain until
moved by the hand. 1t is also safety
hold-back," in case the whiffletree breaks. to
let the horse fee from the carriage, If desired.
Both these carriage improvements secure safe
ty and eoaUsnienee in high degree, and they
ought to be manufactured and thrown into
market in large quantities without delay--so
also of the " Cleaning Root Cutter. in
every County; all which are among the score
or so Of useful inventions of Mr.. Rufus Nut
ting of Randolph, who has been careful to
have them thoroughly proved and tested for
two years before introducing them to the
public.