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IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY

its benefits to him and his heirs for the period of fourteenyears. It is a singular circumstance, that though this patentwas obtained at considerable expence, it was not acted upon.When ten years of the patent were expired, some of MrMeikle’s friends stood forward, and endeavoured to put itin force; but there was then such a number of erections byothers, that the design could not be executed, without risk-ing an expence, which would not have been compensated byany profits that could have been gained during the unexpiredyears of the patent.

Since the invention of this valuable machine, various im-provements have been introduced, not only by the inventor,but also by others, all tending to simplify the labour, and toaugment the quantity of work performed. W hen first erect-ed, though the corn was equally well separated from the straw,yet, as the whole of the corn, straw, and chaff, were indiscri-minately thrown into a heap, the work could only be consider-ed as half executed. But, by the addition of shakers andfanners; all driven by the same power, the different processesof threshing, shaking, an winnowing, are now all performedat once, and the grain immediately prepared for the market.When it is added, that the quantity of corn gained fromthe superior powers of the threshing-mill, is fully equal toa twentieth part of the whole crop, and that, in some cases,the expence of threshing and cleaning corn is considerablyless than what was formerly paid for cleaning it alone, whenthreshed by the flail, the immense savings arising from theuse of this machine may at once be ascertained.

Where farms are of a small size, it would be very improperto erect large machines, as the interest of the original outlaywould be a heavy drawback from its advantages; but in largeconcerns, a machine of great powers, provided with two re-volving shakers, and also two pair of fanners, must be themost profitable for the husbandman; and when water or windis substituted instead of cattle, the saving is considerably in-creased. Where coals are abundant, and at hand, steam may