ARTICLE XVIII. USEFUL INVENTIONS BV DIFFERENT PERSONS. PLATE III represents a front view of the patent Straw-cutter, invented and improved by Moses Coates and Evan Evarts. The principle of this improvement, secured by the patentees, is in hanging the knife on four centres or joints, at a proper angle, in such position as to slide the edge across the straw at the same time that it is pressed down through it, which causes it to cut with much more ease than in the common way. This is the principal improvement, and is well worthy the notice of those who have much straw to cut, as it can be done with less than half the labour of the mode now in use. Thev have also made several other improvements on the machine, viz. in the apparatus for moving the straw forward, and in fixing the knife to be worked by both hands, &c. as appears by the drawing and explanations given by the inventors themselves. Thev sometimes form the steel of this machine aslant so as to cause the knife to cut off the straw at an angle of about 45 degrees, which makes it etit much easier than at right angles, or square across.