Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-11-09
PACIFIC COAST INTENTION.



The exposition, just closed, Of the
San Francisco Mechanics Institute,
comprised many articles peculiar to the
farming, mining and other industries
OF the Pacific coast, which are OF much
interest to the traveller from the East.
Agriculture III California isouite differ
emit from the tillage practiced on this
side of the Rocky Mountains This
arises frcm the difference IN climate
even more than from the widely differ
ing character of the soil With us, if
grain is allowed to stand but few days
after ripening, 1t shells badly
and ''crinkles down. as the farmers
say; that Is, large proportion
of the stems bend down among the
rest, their head nearly or quite to the
ground so that the lowest sweep of the
grading scythe will not enable a clean
swath to be cut. In the Californian
fields, however, where the sky is clear
and rainless for weeks during the warm.
est season, nothing like this occurs.
The straw stands straight up, the
kernels ripen and harden until they be-
come almost IA dry as those in a cured
sheaf, and while they retain sufficient
hold to prevent any considerable waste
rom Smelling, will yield readily to the
sharp, persuasive action of blow.
This enables A system Of labor-saving
machinery to be adopted that could not
he used in any other country, with the
exception of Australia. One machine
sewers the heads from the straw, instead
OF cutting the straw close to the ground,
as IN ordinary reaping; threshes the
grain from the head and separates it
from the refuse, preliminary to its de-
delivery TO sacks carried on the ma
chine. One OF these machines on a
Grand scale, was shown III the fair, and
IL was made as .olloVs:
A large horizontal frame of wood was
suspended near It's rear end on two
large driving wheels, and at It's front
on two lighter ones, the axle OF the
latter being pivoted at the centre by
vertical bolt like the forward axle of
an ordinary lumber wagon, an arrange
ment that permits the vehicle to be
easily turned around. From the left
hand side of the frame projected cut
ter bar, corresponding to that OF
moving machine, but twelve feet IN
stead of four in length, and running
three feet instead of one inch from the
ground. THIS cutter bar carried the
usual reciprocatlng cutter, operated,
rs in a mower, Dy a crank and pitman,
connected by gearing with the
driving wheels Behind the cutter
bar was level platform,
upon which was an endless belt
some two or three vide, and which
passing over rollers at each end, was
made to revove with its upper side
mining continually toward the mouth
If a hopper located on the frame.
The machine is designed 30 be drawn
Ivy ten horses, and IN moving forward
the outer strikes the standing grain
.'lst below the heads and cuts them OFF.
the heads falling upon the endless belt,
which carries them into the hopper.
The spout OF this hopper emptles the
heads into a "cOncave, which fits
around the under side OF rapi1ly-re-
volying toothed cylinder, and the action
oi tins latter threshes the grain from
5be heads as fast as they feed in. The
.orce OF the threshrng cylinder throws
ae flying mass backward into the
he throat OF a winnowing-
mill, made small ana compact
md secured upon the back part
)f the frame Here a fan-blast
ot air blows out of the chat and rem
lants of the heads, while the heavy
grain passes into spout which pro-
tects out from the right-hand SIDE of
.he machine Upon either side of the
outlet OF this spout are hooks, to which
The mouth of sack is attached, to keep
= dstended, while the bottom OF the
suck rests upon a small lateral plat.
.arm suspended by iron rods from the
main frame. One man drives the horses,
and other stands on She GtJe platform
.o tie the sacks as fast as they are filed
'ud throw them off upon the ground,
where they lie for several days 10
sweat This last is necessary, be
a9ss Grain, no matter how dry IL may
ae u the chat, will eliminate moisture
@5.rl is cot II stacked IN the straw
1r heads. orif simply IN single stacks
aa allow Tie moisture to dfssipate,
.-aia is pretty soon completely dry,
1-.i may be stored without danger; but
lana away ii large quantities when
a.s cat en5 threshed, it would soon
poll