The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-10-22
VOLUME Is.
A History of Moving Machines.

The oldest moving machines, though
very rude were used by the Gauls. A cart,
having blades arranged in front, was
pushed forward into the grain by oxen
hitched behind, and thus cut off the heads.
A system OF Sin rotating scythes was made
by Joseph Boyce in 1879, and an attempt to
use the same principle was made by Com
pretz and Mason, in 1852 In 1Sl1-1Sl5,
Smith, Of Deans, once brought out a ma
chine IN which short virtical revolving
cylinder carried a knife on its lower end
but all these rotating machines have
proved impracticable Robert Meares in
trome, Somersetshire, established, in 1900,
the shear principle as the only practicable
one. Salmon, in Woburn, in 1907, built a
machine with row Of blades and fingers
moving over them, and also applied the
reel. The Scotch parson, Patrick Bell, Of
Iorfarshlne, in 1926, and William Man
ming, of Plaintield, n j., in 1882, were
the founders of the present style Of ma
chimes. Manning was the first to attach
the draught at the side of the machine, all
others previously having been pushed
from behind. Obeb Iussey, OF Cincinnati
attached the side-plattorm and slit-iinger
Mccormick, then of Rockbridge, Va,
now OF Chicago, n 1880 improved the
Naming and Hussey mschne. and the APP
pearance OF these at the London ExpOsi-
ton, in 1851, was the signal tor their in
PRODUCTION into general use.
The oldest threshng machine except
the antlques) was made by Michael Men
zies, in 1882, or perhaps at the same time
by Tull, consisting Of a rotating cylinder
with fails. Several others followed short
ly. some like tlour-nil, and in 1862.
Willoughby, of Bedford, made one like
that Of Menzies, which ON Thaer brought
to Germany, and which served rs u model
for the Mecklenburg thresher The ma-
chine of James Wardropp, of Ampthell,
IN Virginia, is on a similar principle, only
the beaters are sticks moving up and down
Finally, in 1873, Andrew Meikle, Of Tvn-
lngham, East Lothian. laid the foundation
OF the present form, by using drum with
four beaters parallel TO its axis, that ear
ried the grain between itself and concave.
furnished with similar rods An Ameri-
can, named Motfitt, in 1891, substituted
spikes for the rods, though Menzies' ma
chine adheres to the old system
TIE MODEL SIIEEr MAN The best
sheep man we ever heard OF was Il soldier.
who saw somewhat how valuable sheep
are for renovating worn-out land and
after the cruel war was over he Went
home to his poor farm, and bought thirteen
ewes, all that, fortunately, he was able to
buy. He put them i'll "A small f.eld of
briers and weeds, which they soon de
stroyed then he fed them on bran and
meal. In the winter he sheltered them
well, feeding oats and swamp hay, and in
the spring he had thirteen fine lambs
Saving the manure, lie planted the old
brier patch with corn, and harvested a
fine crop. All his spare time was devoted
to caring tor the sheep The next spring
he had more lambs; he was able to plant
more corn then came more lambs, when
lie sowed clover and grew turnips; and
now, to-day, as the result of such small
beginnings, he has several hundred fine
young sheep free from disease, bringing
him - 600 year. while his farm has be
come extremely fertile and he is 4 rich
man We know that thousands Of poor
young men have a free course open to
them to become wealthy by beginning in
the same way. But the trouble is the
way is too humble and slow they want to
get along faster; they have no patience.
no faith, no pluck Truly, it does seem
small business TO watch a dozen sheep, rs
ii it Utneauli the attention uI (, tIIIS lit
American youth; but if said youth viii
look the subject over he will see it worthy
Of all his powers. A young man can we'll
afford to sit down with a dozen sheep on
the plains, live in dug out, and feed on
antelope meat, rather than undertake 10
become independent in q city on a clerk
ship of 81 600 year.