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the pleasure of the driver, giving to it the capability of cutting the heads of grasses for seed, and afterwards the straw or stems and leaves for fodder; it runs on wheels; is easily moved from place to place; is strongly braced, and by an ingenious arrangement is capable of being contracted into a small compass for housing when not in use. Another peculiarity common to both Mr. Manny's and Mr. Murray's knives, is a cutting edge at the base, intended to prevent clogging. A reel is used with this machine, which has a tendency to lay the grass in waves, and not of uniform thickness over the surface of the field.

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KETCHUM'S MACHINE is remarkable for its compactness and simplicity of construction, also for the perforation of the knives, which, it it is claimed, renders impossible to clog in the cutting operation; the knives cut with a blunt edge at this perforation, necessarily consuming more power to effect the object than if it be a sharp edge. A curved iron elbow connects the knife or cutter bar with the running parts of the machine, bringing the knives close to the ground. It needs perhaps more strength and uniformity in mechanism-it works without a reel, performing its work admirably.

MCCORMICK'S MACHINE cuts with knives of a peculiar form, being broad at the base, short in length and having a sickle edge working between spear-shaped teeth or fingers. The construction of this machine is too fragile for useful purposes, the knives yielded after a few swaths were cut, needing to be replaced by another set; these yielded also. The stubble was left long and

uneven.

BURRALL'S MACHINE was presented for trial direct from the workshop, and now first subjected to its intended work. It is ingen

ious in mechanism, presenting a longer vibration of the cutting knives than any other machine; a fly wheel is attached to overcome variable resistances and equalize movements, and certainly the Burrall Machine moved over the ground with less noise and more smoothly than any other subjected to trial.

Without pretending to question the theory, it seems at first sight that a wheel of so small diameter and weight, could not efficiently or profitably collect power sufficient to overcome any sudden resistance to which a mowing machine is usually liable; certainly at this trial it did not prevent very frequent interruptions to its progress. More experience may show the value of this appendage. The ingenuity and excellent workmanship of this machine is worthy of high commendation, and we cannot doubt that under impovements which the present trials will suggest to the proprietor, he will at an early day perfect a Mowing Machine to stand in the foremost rank. In its present condition. it choked frequently and needed oft adjustment.

MURRAY'S MACHINE arrived at the trial grounds from Illinois at the close of the day; it was not properly adjusted for work, and no one conversant with its use was present to work it. Under these circumstances the work was badly done. There are however in this machine points of ingenuity and excellence of arrangement which will probably place it when perfected among the favored implements of the agriculturist.

RUGG'S PATENT MOWER retains in a great degree the form of the earliest Reaping Machine as patented by the Rev. P. Bell in England; the horses are attached to the rear of the machine propelling it, while the driver guides it by a steering wheel; he can also elevate or depress the cutting knives at his pleasure. The advantages claimed for this patent were not apparent and the machine soon ceased to operate.

DANFORD & Co's MACHINE was not in time for examination and trial on the first day, and when in operation on the morning of the second day, it was frequently impeded by clogging. The peculiar feature of this machine is the reciprocating action of the cutting knives; they are moved by eccentrics, causing the knives

to pass each other in close contact on the same plane, the action of the blade therefore is like that of shears. This position of the knife cannot probably maintain a long continued perfect action, for as soon as the knives from any cause lose their sharp edge, the tougher grasses will be drawn between the plates, and by clogging arrest the progress of the machine.

The excellence discernable in the best Mowing Machines now exhibited, leaves no doubt as to their utility. It is equally clear that the work performed is far better than can be done by manual labor with a scythe.

The farmer will, however, need the occasional use of the scythe; for neatnes and thorough husbandry will claim the scythe to trim fence corners, to remove baulks occasioned by careless driving, as well as herbage which may escape the machine when passing stumps or rocks.

The economy derived from their use may be understood from the following computation:

An able man can cut with a scythe an area of one acre and a quarter each day, on a meadow covered with grass equal to two tons per acre; of heavy clover he will cut not to exceed one acre per day; a few men can accomplish more than above stated, but on an average these quantities are found to be a full day's work.

The rate of wages varies in different places and counties, yet a fair average rate of compensation in central New-York for men engaged in the hay harvest is seventy-five cents per day, or eighty cents per acre by the job, with their board and lodging.

Assuming the cost of cutting and making hay at one dollar per day for each man employed, we may approximate closely to the advantages of mowing machines. Thus

One acre of meadow grass yielding two tons will cost

for cutting and making the hay.

.....

A field of ten acres will therefore cost....

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.$2.00

20 00

A mowing machine will cut an acre per hour, worked by one man with two horses; a field of ten acres may be conveniently

cut in one day by the machine; three additional laborers will be sufficient and ample for turning, raking and cocking the ten acres. Then the labor of the 4 men is equal to...

1 team, say,..

Int. on cost of the machine, wear and tear, say 15 per

cent per annum, to sink the cost in ten years, $15;
this amount divided equally to ten harvest days is
equal to a daily charge of *.

$4.00

150

.. 1 50

Cost of cutting and making ten acres of hay, of two tons per acre by a machine,...

$7 00

The difference in favor of the Mowing Maching is therefore a saving of labor equal in value to thirteen dollars per day, and upon every ten acres of grass land, the gain upon each ton is sixty-five

cents.

Attention is thus drawn to the economy of Mowing Machines, that all interested may make estimates for themselves based upon wages and compensation directly applicable to their own locality, the above rates being adopted from the customs and pratices of many farmers in the center of the State.

REAPING MACHINES.

A few years have passed since Reaping Machines were successfully introduced into the State of New-York. Since their introduction they have multiplied greatly in the grain-growing districts. Year after year, ingenuity, stimulated by demand, has attempted improvements, and as a measure of the excitement, it may be stated that fifteen patents were issued from the government office for Reaping Machines in the year 1850–251.

These Reaping Machines are not confined as heretofore, to the cutting of wheat, barley and oats: they are constructed for harvesting Indian corn, stripping the ears from the stalks; for cutting or removing the corn stalks; also for harvesting cotton stalks, hemp and grasses.

•No estimate is made of the wear and tear of scythes, snaths, &c.

The astonishment felt and expressed by British cultivators when two American reapers successfully laid the grain of their rich fields in regular gavels, ready for binding, at the rate of 15 to 17 acres per day, is generally known; and it appears by recent papers from England, that during the period while the Geneva trials were in progress, seventeen specimens of reapers were on exhibition at a meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society at Lewes; upon which occasion an American Reaper is declared to have demonstrated its superiority over other similar machines.

It appears that British mechanics are adopting and combining the excellencies of various American reapers, producing results which are spoken of as producing a revolution in their harvesting operations.

This combination of American 'ingenuity obtained the silver medal of the Royal Society at their recent meeting, and it is said that more than one thousand of these machines have been made to order.

If then the farmers of the old world feel so much interest in agricultural machines in use among American farmers, we are at no loss to account for the excitement exhibited by New-York farmers and others visiting the Geneva trials.

Twelve grain Reaping Machines were entered for trial: three of them did not reach Geneva until after the adjournment of the judges.

The following table presents a list of the reapers on the field, in the order of numbers drawn by them respectively, for their stations on the ground.

This table exhibits the action and main features of construction of each machine on the wheat field.

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