tion and Farm three fourths at the place of insertion, Introductapering on the under side, with a slight Improveupward turn at the points, to prevent run-ment of ning into the ground. The two other teeth. Machinwere cut off to about one third their first ery length, and draught ropes attached. Handles served to guide the teeth, to lift the rake from the ground in avoiding obstacles and to empty the accumulated hay." The revolving horse-rake was next generally adopted, possessing the great advantage of unloading without lifting the rake or stopping the horse. A further improvement was made by attaching the revolving rake to a sulky on which the operator sat, enabling him to do a larger amount of work with less fatigue. The most satisfactory improvement was the spring-tooth contrivance. In its original form, the teeth were made of stiff elastic wire, on the points of which the rake ran, instead of the flat sides, as in the case of the wooden rakes. They bent in passing an obstruction and sprang back to their places. This rake was unloaded by simply lifting the handles. The last improvement has been made by attaching the spring-tooth rakes tion and Introduc- to wheels, making a sulky in form, on which rides the driver, and by patented Improvement of modifications he with ease lifts and lowers the rake as they become full or empty. Farm ery Hay tedding machines have been known for many years, but the heavy and cumbersome condition in which they were made prevented them from coming into common use. Within the last decade, however, it has been satisfactorily made and successfully used. It is furnished with forks held nearly upright, but worked by a compound crank, which scatters and turns the hay with great rapidity in the rear of the machine. The original horse hayfork appeared about 1848, and was quite a relief to the severe labor occasioned by pitching hay from the wagon. It consisted of from three to four steel prongs fastened to a handle somewhat as our common hand forks of to-day. The prongs were plunged into the hay and elevated to the mow on the plan of leverage. The single fork was soon succeeded by the double-clasping fork which held the bundle of hay like the claws of a bird. The harpoon fork, on account tion and of the rapidity of its use, has been most Introduccommonly and satisfactorily used. Within Improverecent years the hay loader has been oper-ment of ated in the field, carrying the hay up and dropping it on the load. It has obviated ery hand pitching. During the past few years unexampled progress has been made in the improvement and manufacture of farm machinery; all of which has been given immediate trial on Ohio farms to receive the judgment of Ohio farmers. Plows have been made of harder materials, and perfect in form and use. Harrows and cultivators, general and special, of numerous kinds and descriptions, now perform all the labor at one time. done by hand. Seed drills for grain and vegetables, are truer in their distribution of seed, than the human hand itself. Mowers, reapers, and binders for grass, grain, and stalks, and machines for threshing, are now universally adopted by every husbandman of the state. Hand labor has been replaced by machine power, physical energy by thought. From the wooden plow and harrow, the sickle, hoe, and flail, have been developed these Farm Machin tion and Farm ery Introduc- implements whose quality and use is near Improvethe perfect. The poorer farmer sowed his ment of grain by hand, covered it with the uncouth wooden harrow or a bundle of brush; with the assistance of wife and children, the harvest was done, the grain reaped, bound and secured, for the winter's threshing and cleaning. But progress was alive if slow. For it brought him the grain cradle, then the improved plow, then the winnowing mill, the threshing machine, the corn sheller, the improved wagon, the canal, the carriage, the reaper, the mower, the self-binder, and a thousand and one other implements and machines that have lessened his labors and cares and multiplied his material enjoyments for physical easement and mental culture. 176 CHAPTER XII DAIRYING IN OHIO Dairying in Ohio began with the first settlers. The cow was usually a part of the family, and grazing near the home could be heard the sound of her tinkling bell. And how gladly she was received with her treasure of milk, fresh for breakfast, fresh for the evening meal! The churn and the cheese-press were used at once by the earliest pioneers, for the products they furnished were not luxury but contributed to daily food. We have no evidence or records of any dairy products for commercial form in the early periods of the state. Butter and cheese had been made from the first but only for the family use. The chief reason perhaps was want of transportation. A large part of the pioneers had been skilled in cheese making in their eastern homes, but the wilderness afforded no place for the manufacture of butter and cheese as commercial articles. The cow was kept to labor and to furnish milk to the family. As the trees |