New Invention Criticized in New Monthly Magazine

Patent Grass Cutter.-Another patent for superseding manual labour by the use of a mowing-machine, in lieu of the scythe, was enrolled on the 31st of Oct. by Mr. E. Budding, of Stroud, Gloucestershire. The principle of this patent agricultural labourer is by no means novel; being nothing more than an application of the improved chaff- cutting instruments, constructed so as to apply the circular cutter or scythe in a vertical direction, by means of an axis and roller with a spar wheel acting on the pinion of a second axis, which carries the horizontal scythe. As the use of this machine must necessarily be confined to a perfectly level surface, such as a pleasure-ground, or artificial grass-plot, there is little probability of its becoming generally adopted for super- seeding the use of manual labour; even if no other objection existed, on account of the expense of the machine, in comparison with the ordinary scythe. We cannot but again regret that the ingenuity of gentlemen should be diverted to agricultural machinery, rather than to the means of affording additional employment to the agricultural labourer, by the subdivision of waste lands, and the employment of spade cultivation.