15

Implements of Tlufbandry — Drill-Machines,

The great fimplicity of this improved machine confifts, the author obferves, firft,in its having only a feed-box, and not both a hopper and feed-box as in fome others,,as that of Mr. Cook ; fecondly, in the flues which conduit the feed from the bottom ofthe feed-box into the drill-furrows not being disjoined in the middle, in order topermit the lower part to move to the right or the left, when the horfe deviates fromthe line in which the coulters pafs, as in Mr. Cook ’s machine, which in this is per-formed by a funple univerfal joint; thirdly, in the horns or fhafts behind, between,which the perfon goes who regulates the coulters, being equally fixed to the coul-ter-beam and the axle-tree, while in others, as that we have juft mentioned, they areall of them moveable joints, like a parallel rule for the purpofe of counteracting thefwerving of the horfe, which is here done by a firnple univerfal joint; fourthly, inaltering the dimenfions of the holes in the axis of the feed-box, by firnply turninga ferew, fo as to adapt them to all kinds of feeds which are ufually fown on fieldlands; fifthly, in the ftrong brufh of briftles which fweep over the excavations ofthe cylinders beneath the feed-box, (trickling them with fuch exactnefs that nofupernumerary feeds efsape, and that none of them be the lead broken or injured,which is the cafe in other machines,, as the original one of Mr. Tull ; and laftly,in its greater fimplicity rendering it lefs expenfive in its conftruCtion, and lefs liableto be out of repair, as well as the management of it more readily and more eafilyunder ftood*..

In the fame ingenious and philofophical work the author alfo deferibes a feed-box, the invention, of Mr. Swanwick, of Derby, by which the feed may be depo-fited with (fill greater accuracy. This box is forty-eight inches long w’ithin ; W'hichfpace is divided into fix cells, for the purpofe of fowing fix rows of feed at the fametime, as in that juft deferibed ; and at the bottom of each is a hole for the feed topafs through into the feed-flues, but without any revolving axis, a w'ooden bar aboutfour feet eight inches long, and three-eighths of an inch in thicknefs, through whichthere are fix perforations, each of them exaftly one inch long, and half an inchw'ide, and three-eighths of an inch deep, which is the thicknefs of the bar that fup-plies its place. The centres of thefe holes are exactly eight inches diftant from each,other, correfpondent to the holes at the bottom of the feed-box, over which it ismade to Aide backwards and forwards in a groove. In this Aiding motion it paffesunder (tiff brufhes, which are placed over it on each end of the holes, at the bot-tom of the feed-box, and ftrickle off the grain as the holes in the Aiding bar pafsunder them, by which the quantity of feed is meafured out with a confiderable. d&~

* Phjtologia, p. 608.