SECRETARY'S REPORT. 69 



defects some of them may have, they may be made to accom- 

 plish the work for which they were intended. 



Manufacturers have received a lesson, on the mowing ma- 

 chine, which, it is hoped, will be of some service to them. But 

 the manufacturer is not alone to blame, as a general thing, for 

 the defects of an implement to be used on the farm. The 

 'farmer too often prefers a machine which is least expensive, 

 and no matter how well it is made, he will insist upon having 

 it at the lowest possible price at which it can be afforded. Man- 

 ufacturers are therefore compelled to slight the work in order 

 to meet the wants of the people, and cheaply-made articles alone 

 can be sold cheap enough to suit the wishes of the buyer. In 

 this way both the manufacturer and the farmer suifer. It is 

 poor economy, as a general rule, to buy cheap articles. 



As to the comparative economy of the use of the machine and 

 hand labor on small farms, such as are most frequently found 

 in New England, it seems to me the experiments of the past 

 season in Massachusetts have fully decided the question in favor 

 of the former. On this point, however, the opinions of practical 

 men will be found to differ to some extent, though the weight 

 of the testimony of those who have had any actual experience 

 with the machine will be found to be in its favor. And this is 

 especially the case of those who have been fortunate in obtain- 

 ing a machine properly constructed and put together. In order 

 to arrive at the conclusions of men of experience, the following 

 circular letter was addressed to many individuals in diiFerent 

 parts of the State, most of whom have very kindly furnished me 

 with the results of their labors. 



BOAKD OF AgKICUXIUKE, ) 



Secretary's Office, Boston, Dec. 22, 1855. j 

 Dear Sir : — Will you oblige me by stating, at your earliest conven- 

 ience, the result of your experience in the use of the mowing machine, 

 especially as to the comparative economy of its use and the common 

 scythe. How much is, or can be saved to the farmer, by using the 

 machine instead of hand labor, on our ordinary farms ? How heavy 

 should you say the horses should be to Avork the machine most easily 

 xmder all circumstances ? Is the labor for ordinary horses more severe 

 on a good machine than on the plough ? How many hours a day 

 would it be judicious or prudent to work the team on the machine, 

 and at what speed ? Do you consider the machine when well made, 

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