Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/29

11&#93; C LO 1,2, The shafts, I fed •» inches long, and three fee! asunder. .;. I. The handles, 3 feet long, tad 20 inches apart. 5, The fingers, or teeth, thirteen inches long. The wheels are sixteen inches in diameter. This machine is drawn by one horse, and guided by a man or boy; it simply consists or" an open box, about 4 feet square at the bottom, and about 3 in height, on three sides ; to the fore part, which is .. fingers are fixed, similar to those of a cradle, about 3 feet in length, and so near as to break off the heads from the clover-stocks between them, which are thrown back into the box as the horse ad- vances. The box is fixed on an axle-tree, supported by two small wheels, two feet in diameter ; two handles are affixed to the hinder part, by means of which the driver, while he manages the horse, raises or lowers the fingers of the machine, so as to take off all the heads of the grass ; and, as often as the box is tilled with them, they are thrown out, and the horse goes on as be- ibre. CLO [«« This instrument is called a era- He, and h made of an oak board, about 18 inches in length and lO in breadth. The fore-part of it, to the length of y inches, is sawed into fingers ; a h an ■!!• is insert* d behind, inclining towards tli m. and a cloth put round the back part of the board, which is cut some- what circular, and raised on the handle: i his collects the heads or tops of the grass} and prevents them from scattering, as they ani struck off by the cradle, which may be made of different sizes j be- ing smaller in proportion for vm- men and children, who, by means of it, may likewise collect large quantities. As soon as the clover is mown, it should be immediately raked into small heaps, and exposed in the field, to promote the decay of the husk, as otherwise it will be dim- cult to obtain the seed. These heaps should be occasionally turn- ed, especially during wet weather, It may, however, bo easily ascer- tained, whether the husks are suf- ficiently rotten, or dry, by rubbing thq heads or tops between the hands : when that is effected, tiiey should be housed, and the seed threshed out when convenient, and cleared with a wire riddle. Last- ly, this species is a valuable substi- tute for the common clover, as it continues much longer in the land. 3. The procumbeiis or hop-clo- ver, or hop trefoil, which grows in dry meadows and pastures. It flowers in the months of Ju..e and Jul)'. When mixed with common clover, on light land, it makes a most excellent fodder. This plant is variously called back-grass and rionsuch. 4. 'iiie repens, or white-clover, which abounds in meadows and pastures. It also delights in light land, where it will thrive luxuri- antly,