Compiled by: E. Fairbanks

Printed at: The Farmer's Herald Office by Jewett and Porter in St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1829.

The following certificates from Messrs. Cookes of Ohio will be read with interest, as they are gentlemen of extensive acquaintance, highly respected for their intelligence and practical knowledge in agriculture, particularly in the culture and manufacture of hemp. One of them has been a member of the Legislature of that state, and the other is, and has long been, Post-Master of the village in which he resides, and extensively engaged in mercantile and agricultural pursuits:

"We hereby certify that in the autumn of 1824, we established in Huron County Ohio, one of Mr. Hines' Machines, (called Hines and Bain's Machine for breaking flax and hemp,) and that since that period we have kept the same in constant and profitable operation.

There have been several machines, made in that country, embracing in part the same principle, but varying in their construction from that of Mr. Hines, in order to evade his patent; all of which have proved unprofitable to the owners, and highly injurious to the general character of hemp prepared by machinery. We have observed these failures and attempts at evasion with regret; and having thoroughly tested, by long experience and observation, the decided superiority and preeminent practical utility of Mr. Hines' Machine, compared with others, we are fully satisfied, that it is altogether the most perfect Machine for the purpose now in operation. And we are equally well satisfied, from much observation and reflection upon the principles of its operation, and the nature of the plan upon which it is designed to operate that no other machine different from his in principle will ever be invented, to supersede it.

An experience of four years has confirmed us in the opinion we had long entertained, that there is no branch of agriculture that will afford as great a profit, or contribute so vastly to advance the wealth and prosperity of the country, as that of the culture of hemp, aided by said Machine, and that without such aid the great labor and expense of preparing it for market, would continue, (as heretofore) to discourage its cultivation. We are therefore, clearly convinced that the invention and introduction of this Machine by Mr. Hines, in a national point of view, will ultimately confer the most lasting and important benefits upon his country, and, at no distant day be looked upon as constituting the brightest Era in the history of American Agriculture. So far as we are individually concerned, Mr. Hines has our most sincere thanks for the very great benefits we have received through his improvement, and whatever may be the pecuniary rewards of his enterprise, they can never equal the fame which awaits him at the hands of his country."

E. & E. COOKE. Four Corners, Huron Co. Ohio, June 20, 1828. Stillwater, August 7th, 1828.

P.S. I have this day seen and examined Mr. Hines' Machine, now in operation, by steam power, at Stillwater, Saratoga Co. New-York. The only fuel used, is the shives it makes in breaking the hemp, only one half of which is required to keep it in constant operation. It performs its work with great facility, and in my opinion, the heat after creating the steam, by passing through a flue nearly horrizontal, will be fully sufficient for a dry-house. I have also seen samples of hemp that were broken in an unrotted state, and afterwards water-rotted, which I think to be fully equal if not superior in quality to the best of Russian Hemp.

E. COOKE.