No. 112.] 137 



and pressed to purchase agricultural machinery at exorbitant 

 prices, under the plea that the patent right expenses forbid a less 

 selling price. But aside from all excuses thus offered, there is 

 sound reason to believe that the farmer usually pays more than 

 twenty-five per cent beyond a reasonable compensation for the 

 machinery purchased by him. To illustrate this position in part, 

 your committee were informed by Manny, the proprietor of the 

 Illinois patent adjustable reaper, that " his price in Illinois was 

 $135, but with increased facilities for manufactui'ing had reduced 

 the price to $125 ; and with far greater facilities for manufactur- 

 ing here, (New- York,) materials being only about one half the 

 cost J and labor easier obtained and cheaper ^ my price here would 

 be reduced to $100 without the platforms, and with three extra 

 knives, with platforms,. $105. You will understand the machine 

 exclusively for mowing, $100; for mowing and reaping com- 

 bined, $105." 



In addition to ihe foregoing there is reason to believe that 

 these Illinios machines may be constructed for $60 to $75 each. 

 We would by no means interfere with rights or privileges in any 

 form ; but we deem it a paramount duty to guard the interests 

 of the farmer. When all parties are well informed in regard to 

 labor applied, and its products in articles not of agricultural ori- 

 gin, then demand and supply will fairly regulate each other. 



The continued duties of your committee at Utica, in relation to 

 the machines presented for trial at Geneva, prevented an exami- 

 nation of many excellent machines and implements presented at 

 the annual fair : it was due to the exhibitors that a more extended 

 notice should be taken of them, than could be accomplished. 

 A roughly made grain reaper, and evidently a first experiment, 

 attracted notice by the novel action of the knives ; tlie blades 

 forming a triangle, and the cutting edges inclining at an angle of 

 about 40" with the base. These knives are attached to an endless 

 chain, each one passing tlirough a fiiipjer. against the edge of 

 which it operates with an oblique or ■ "^ r motion. By this 

 arrangement there is no vibration and no t.ca'» points to overcome. 

 The base of (lie knife is 4. \ inches, the perpendicular being 3J 

 inches j each blade moves 18 feet lor every revolution of the 



