WALSH'S PATENT FURZE MACHINE.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 684, 7 January 1865, Page 5

WALSH'S PATENT FURZE MACHINE.

[From the Gardeners* Chronicle.'] Mr. "Walsh has repeatedly called attention in our columns to the use of gorse as food for cattle. He thus describes the machine by which the furze shoots are reduced to an edible pulp. It acts by a number of sawtooth discs revolving in to one another. When made with two rollers it is called a single machine, when with four rollers it is termed the double machine, and it is then worked by power. A number of testimonials to the efficiency of the implement are published from well-known and trustworthy correspondents —Mr. Dawson, A. Millward, of Tullogher, and the Bey. W. D. Pox among them are known to us—and their favorable testimony may be accepted as perfectly conclusive. The following is Mr. Walsh's statement on the subject: — " The operation of it is to tear up, and at the same tune to crush and soften the stuff, so that the prickles are rendered inert, and the woody parts made more easy of mastication. Of the numerous contrivances which jiave from time to time been applied to the purpose, none has been found to act so effectually, and at bo little cost, or with so little labor, as this one. All those hitherto in use have failed to give complete satisfaction from various causes. Some, because their inventors, fancying it necessary that the material should be reduced to a perfect pulp, have to that end, constructed very complicated and expensive machines. These, requiring a vast deal of power, wasted mv& time and supernous labor to which was not sailed for, and jjatities not at all adepTfjy **> .fi On the other hand, tnachinee Mβ use which are supjweedja cut fte fnrzTTSto quarter or halfineh lengths. These are inefficient, inasmuch as they do not eoften the stuff, so that a subsequent operation by pounding or rolling becomes necessary, without which horned cattle cannot take it freely. In that rough state horses may eat it, but cows will not, unless starved into doing so. The machine aow described meets all these objections, neither doing too much nor to little, besides possessing this great advantage —that it offers the facility of preparing the stuff to different degrees of fineness, according to the class of animals it is required for, by passing it through once, twice or three times. For horses, whose mouths are harder, it .is sufficient to pass it once. For cows and stores, it is found best to pass it twice, whih process does not involve as much labor as would appear at first sight, as the second run takes 6nly half the time the first one does. A thiyd run only requires half the time that the second one does ; this is recommended only for calves and sheep, and for fattening cattle in the stalls. The application of furze to the fattening of cattle is rather a new feature in the cultivation of this plant, probably unknown to many; but the practice of the last few years has proved it to be a most important auxiliary for that purpose, not I only as taking the place of more expensive food, but as contributing to increase thej&igestive powers of the animals, and to imirove the quality of the meat. With four stoles of turnips, two or three stones of fuse, and the usual allowance of meal daily, beists have been fattened to 7 cwt in a much shorter tame than under the usual treatment without a suitable instrument for its preparation, these results would never be arrived at; nor could the valuable nutritious property of the plant, as shown by the annexed and confirmed by practice, have teen brought out. It is true that many jeople have been using furze for horses and jattle by means of the old appliances; but, by referring to the accompanying letters, it will be seen that some of the writers had been using the ordinary chaff-cutters, but now make use of this machine in preference. It is simple in its construction and operation. It can be attached to any horse gear, one-horse power being sufficient for the double one ; but a two-horse one will give more than a proportional increase in the amount of work done. The single one can be worked by power as welL In the cultivation of furze, great stress has been laid upon the importance of having the furze grown close and thick, so as to cause the shoots to be drawn up and tender, and more easily masticated when cut by the chaff-cutter. With the new machine, this precaution is unnecessary, as it will reduce the coaraeet and most stubborn shoots that may be brought to it. Where it was first made use of, nothing was to be had but strong shoots, cut by hand off hedge-rows and bushes, sometimes with stalks more than half an inch thick- Of these, the machine would easily prepare four hundredweight in

the hour, passing it twice. This is given as the average quantity done in regular work, for a much larger quantity ha 3 been done when special trials were made." Analyses are given by Dr. Voelcker, Dr. Cameron, and Mr. Masters, of Belfast. Dr. Cameron's analyses in April puts the water present at seventy-eight per cent.; the woody fibre, ten; the nitrogenous portions at 21S; and the starch, &c, at 82. Mr. Masters, analysing a sample in September, of no doubt drier and riper stuff, found only 57 of water, 22|of woody fibre, 8 of nitrogenous matter, and 10 of starch. While Dr. Voelcker, who examined a very much drier specimen, found only 33i per cent, of water, and as much as per cent, of nitrogenous matter.