Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-02-12
agricultural.

sHEARING sHEEP BY MACHINERY.
In one of the July (lS67) numbers Of the
MIRROR AND FARMER, we gave a brief &C
count of machine for shearing sheep, inven-
ted and patented by X. 7. Smith, Esq, Of
Nashua n. H., and which was tried on our
focks in May last The machine as shown
last shearng time, did its work WE'LL and
when the inventor should have improved the
cutting apparatus, we predicted that it would
be success and inaugurate a new era in sheep
shearing, much to the relief Of those who an
nually engage in that back-aohing business.
We thought az that time that the machine
was a marvel in the way Of its construction
its wonderful adaptablity to its work being
only equalled by its liehtness and Aexibihty.
But we now learn that there are yet greater
things than these to be said Of this piece Of
mechanism. Among our pile of accumulated
letters for the months Of our absence, we fluid
one from Mr.. Smith, in which he speaks OF
the improvements he has made in his machine
during the past season. He says:-"You
would not know the machine. The one had
at your place was an eighty pound the one l
have now weighs but twenty five pounds, and
you can fold it up like a jack knife and take
it under your arm. There are now no large
wheels or belts. eog-whees being used
throughout. You regarded the other as a won
der on account Of its Aexibility, but this is
much more so, yielding readily to every mo-
ton the operator wishes to make. A manu-
iacturer told me that wool cut with this ma
chine would be worth three cents per pound
more than wool clipped in the usual way, be-
cause this does not cut the fbers a second
time, thereby leaving, as common shears, little
punches OF wool, which work into the thread,
making it bunohy, and which can never be en-
tirely removed. The cutter plate is so secur-
ed that you do not cut the wool a second time
and there is no risk Of cutting the sheep. As
a little trial with the machine, green hand
sheared 4 sheep in IA minutes, then in 10
minutes, and in l / minutes, and did not cut
the sheep in the least"
If such is the work that can be done with
this little "jaok knife affair, it will realize all
we predicted for it. We may safely calculate
that, il a green hard at the rate Of | . sheep
an hour, OF reduce it one-third and call il 8
an hour, a man who knows how to handle a
sheep in the shearing Aoor and when once
well acquainted with handling the machine,
may be expected to turn off at least Is an
hour for all day. In the working honrs he
would take the feeces from 1850 sheep.
who is inclined go to think, remember the first
time he ever took a moving. machine in hand
when he was green hand" at the work
and his horses frisking and Jerking TO get away
with that new and strange chatter at their heels;
let him compare his first half days work with
what he can accomplish now, when he has be.
come perfectly familiar with the machine and
can guide it within an inch Of the desired line
bringing it nicely and quickly round the corn.
ers, so as to lose neither time nor space. aud
when his horses move as steadily and evenly
as II harnessed to buggy on a smooth road
such is the allowance that must be made in
favor OF this invention. We shall hope to
have the pleasure of seeing it roll off some Of
our Merino heeces next shearing time, and W.
feel that we are warranted in assuring OUT
brother wool-growers that they may expect
much from Mr.. Smith and that he will mo-
disAppOint them,