FARM IMPLEMENTS. 141 



of Mr. Lyman's own farm, being "reclaimed meadow," where 

 the ground was soft, and the bottom uneven, and the growth 

 more luxuriant, some diminution in the quality of tlic work 

 was apparent — yet, taken as a whole, tlie mowing was better 

 than that done by most of the competitors. 



Mr. Lyman had relieved the committee from both a delicate 

 and difficult task by announcing his withdrawal from the con- 

 test; but a gratuity to the operator of the machine, for his skill 

 in its management, is recommended. 



Every competitor, who had not withdrawn from the trial, save 

 two in tlie county of Berkshire, had now been visited, and on 

 the 20th of August, the undersigned reached Great Barrington, 

 agreeably to an arrangement previously made. 



To the disappointment of your committee, Mr. John Wilkin- 

 son, wlio had signified his intention of engaging in this compe- 

 tition, had not entered into it, and the person to whom Mr. 

 Wilkinson had furnished a machine for the purpose, had re- 

 turned it with but one or two days' use. 



Mr. Edson Sexton, of Stockbridge, hovfever, had engaged in 

 the trial. The mowing o'" Mr. Sexton had, for the most part, 

 been done upon his own farm. The land cut orer, as a whole, 

 presented a smooth surface, though no part of it had been pre- 

 pared for the machine. 



There were some obstructions to the operation of the ma- 

 chine, arising from rocks and trees. As had been done by every 

 other competitor, save one, Mr. Sexton had trimmed around 

 these with a scythe. It is believed, however, that a long expe- 

 rience will convince Mr. Sexton, and others, that there is no 

 economy in such practice. 



Mr. Sexton had done his work well. Some lots, in partic- 

 ular, nearer than his farm to the village, gave evidence of a 

 high degree of skill. 



Many opportunities offered themselves of inspecting the oper- 

 ation of different machines, during the time occupied in tliis 

 examination, and tlie result was, in most cases, satisfactory. 

 In some few instances a bad cut was visible, but in almost all 

 this was owing to an apparent neglect of the machine. In the 

 opinion of the undersigned, the quality of the mowing of most 

 of the competitors would have been better if the consideration 

 of quantity of acres had been less attended to. There has 



