294 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



undoubtedly works well. There a blade is rarely broken, while 

 here they are constantly liable to damage, and are in fact often 

 broken. In other machines the blades are riveted or bolted, or 

 otherwise secured to the knife-plate, so that, in case of injuiy, 

 one can be more or less readily substituted for another. The 

 blades of Danforth's knives are not bolted or riveted upon a 

 knife-plate, but plate and blades are one entire piece of steel, 

 like a saw with very large, blunt teeth. They are, in fact, saw 

 plates. The only way to repair a broken blade, therefore, is Ho 

 weld it. Now we take it that few mechanics, in a machine-shop 

 even, can weld a broken saw-tooth without injuring or destroy- 

 ing the entire plate. Certainly, in the country, the place where 

 mowing machines are to be used, nobody could be found able 

 to do it. A broken blade would probably involve the necessity 

 of an entire new knife. This seemed to us an insuperable 

 objection to the machine, without looking for others which may 

 OT may not exist, and for that reason we did not desire to put 

 the Messrs. Danforth to the trouble and expense of a further 

 trial. 



The five other machines were upon the ground at the time 

 appointed, or on the next morning. 



The first lot of grass mowed contained about six acres, sown 

 with Timothy in September last. The bottom was not thick, 

 and the ground very far from being swarded over, might appro- 

 priately be termed dirty. The crop was not heavy, but uniform 

 in quantity and quality. An acre was mowed by each machine. 



We were satisfied at this trial, that any further experiment 

 with the machine patented by W. H. Hovey, on the loth of 

 April of the present year, and entered by A. D. Briggs, was not 

 desirable. 



Without a drawing it would be difficult for us so to describe 

 its several parts as to make ourselves understood. It is, per- 

 haps, enough to say, that the blades are not bolted or riveted to 

 the knife-plate, and are yet so fastened as to be held firmly and 

 securely in their places by an arrangement so simple that any 

 farmer or laborer can substitute one for another without the 

 aid of a mechanic, and almost without tlie aid of hammer or 

 wrench, in an instant of time. This we consider a great merit. 

 The knife-plate covers the finger-bar entirely, and being con- 

 stantly in motion when the machine is in operation, leaves no 



