THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



135 



(^42), Managed with one horse and two men, it 

 reaped, before the Jury, at the rate of 25 ares per hour 

 (about 3-5ths of an acre), taking a width of 3ft. Gin. 

 T<ie work was well done, and the swathe was laid by a 

 man furnished wi(h a rake for bending the corn to the 

 machine, and depositing it, when cut, beyond the plat- 

 form, there being no fly. The saw has the advantage of 

 bein'j; made to turn upon the central axle of the move- 

 ment, so as to be let down on the rigiit or left, at plea- 

 sure. In this way they can cut either way, and the 

 wheat beaten down does not escape the action of the 

 machine. The turning of the machine is effected in a 

 very few moments, and two or three minutes also suf- 

 fices to unmount and fold up the machine. The 

 construction is ingenious and well conceived. This in- 

 vention dates from 1833, and M. Mazier has sold a 

 great number of his machines in France, Algeria, and 

 even in foreign countries. 



The machine by M. Ijallier, of Venizel (Aisne), per- 

 formed its work as well as that of M. Mazier. It costs 

 only 700 fr. (£'28). It is also very simple, occupies little 

 space, and folds up into a small compass. It is fur- 

 nished with a fly, acting in sucii a manner that tlie 

 sheafer has only to lay the cut corn upon the ground. 

 Managed with two horses and two men it reaped at the 

 rate of 27 ares p^r hour (2-3rds of an acre), with a 

 gauge of 3 ft. Gin. Although of too recent invention to 

 have, at present, the sanction of practice, it appeared to 

 the jury deserving of the second prize. 



The low price of a machine, combined wiih ample 

 solidity, certainly constitutes a valuable qualification. 

 M. Legendre, of St. Jeand'Angily (Charentelnferieure), 

 has exhibited a small machine of his own invention, 

 costing only 350 fr. (£14), which cut well at the rate 

 of 23 ares per hour (rather more than ^ an acre), taking 

 a breadth of 39 inches. It was worked by one horse 

 and two men. If this machine is sufficiently strong not 

 to require frequent repairs, it is certainly destined to 

 render important services. The jury awarded it the 

 third prize. 



M. Cournier, of Saint Romans (Isere), proposed a 

 difficult problem — that of constructing a machine which 

 shall require only one horse and one driver, who shall 

 work the machine and dispose of the reaped corn. He has 

 partly succeeded, and has already placed in his own and 

 the neighbouring departments several machines, which 

 have performed at the harvest- work successfully; but 

 we fear it will bs subject to frequent derangements. It 

 has cut at the rate of 30 ares per hour (about | of an 

 acre), taking a width of 39 inches, and costs 750 fr. 

 (£30). The jury decreed M. Cournier an honourable 

 mention. 



Many machines, and particularly those exhibited by 

 Cranston and Roberts, have the advantage of being 

 eassly converted into mowers. This is noted by the jury, 

 and it examined, with great interest, a particular mower, 

 brought by Messrs. Burgess and Key, which cut a field 

 of lucerne with complete success. The rapid mowing 

 of natural or artificial pastures with the help of ma- 

 chines is an attainment of the first importance, which 

 requires to be investigated with as much attention as 

 that of reaping-machines. All mowers ought to be tried 

 comparatively upon meadows, lucerne, tares, &c. ; 

 and agriculture would owe a new and great debt of 

 gratitude to the Government if such an experiment were 

 permitted. The jury also expressed a wish that the 

 Minister of Agriculture would consent to arrange, at an 

 early period, a general gathering of mowing and hay- 

 making machines, and ail others intended for rendering 

 the hay harvest more expeditious. 



Such has been the meeting at Fouilleuse, and the re- 

 sult certainly proves that agriculture has obtained ma- 

 chines which will henceforth render the harvest inde- 

 pendent of a scarcity of hands, and of the vicissitudes of 



seasons. The announcement of a result so important 

 has not been made by the jury alone, a great number o^ 

 agriculturists having come from all parts, of their own 

 accord, to verify the facts stated in this report. 



The jury had made up the list of prizes when the 

 Emperor unexpectedly arrived upon the ground, and 

 asked to see the prized machines perform ; expressing 

 a wish afterwards to distribute himself to the exhibitors 

 the rewards they had won. The presence of the 

 Sovereign, who had just only returned from the san- 

 guinary fields of battle in Lombardy, in that pacific 

 arena of agriculture, triumphant also over a long and 

 serious difficulty, gave an important sanction to the 

 results of the exhibition. Bearing in mind the des- 

 perate struggle sustained a few days before by the 

 heroic soldiers of France, agriculture saw with pride the 

 illustrious chief, who had conducted the army to victory, 

 come to encourage, in their turn, the labourers of the 

 field, and applaud their success. 



The Minister of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public 

 Works, accompanied by the Director of Agriculture, 

 wished to follow up a part of the operations of the 

 jury, and to give an account of the results obtained. 



The Minister of Algeria, a country where machinery 

 has so important a part to play, has also examined with 

 care the novel invention, which is called to take an 

 elevated rank in an age already illustrious from the in- 

 vention of railways and the electric telegraph. 



The general consequence of the introduction of 

 reaping machines in rural labours will be very important. 

 These machines will enable the farmer to cut the corn 

 at the most favourable moment, to leave it less time ex- 

 posed to the intemperance of weather and to gather it 

 in quickly. They supply therefore the means of drawing 

 all the possible share of fruits from the earth, which 

 often holds out hopes unexpectedly blighted ; for the 

 farmer can only reckon on a harvest when it is under 

 shelter in the rick-yard, the barn, or the granary. They 

 will emancipate the cultivators from the casualties of 

 mowers, and leave almost all the hands disposable for the 

 sole operations of putting the corn into sheaves, tying, 

 and loading them on the waggons. At the same time, 

 it will save about 40 per cent, of the expense of an 

 entire harvest, making two horses supply the place of 

 twelve or fourteen men. This is precisely the result 

 that the Academy of Sciences established the truth of, 

 at the end of the seventeeth century, on comparing the 

 labour of men of average strength with that of horses. 

 We may conclude that in their present state the reaping 

 machines make a useful employment of the mechanical 

 application of the power that conducts it. 



Will the reaping machines clear the ridges, the slopes, 

 the stony grounds ? Can they be adopted on the patch- 

 work agriculture of many parts of France ? We al- 

 ready perceive that many of them have saws that are 

 raised and modified so easily as to clear every obstacle 

 that presents itself, so that nothing is insurmountable. 

 We can easily conceive that one single machine in the 

 hands of a contractor can undertake to reap the harvest 

 of a great number of small occupiers. In fact we can 

 foresee that in order to use the harvesters to the best 

 advantage the farmers will be induced to contrive means 

 to do away with the ridges, to clear his fields of stones, to 

 clean the soil, to level the surface, and keep in repair 

 the farm roads. Such results will follow the adoption 

 of reaping machines, and will make them a blessing. 

 Besides, as all progress is linked together, the mechanical 

 reapers will deliver the field labourers from a severe 

 task, usually accomplished under a burning sun, under 

 circumstances the most unfavourable to health. Every 

 truly good discovery is in harmony with the law of 

 charity, and raises man to a better condition. 



General Allard, President of the Jury. 



J. A. Barrax. and Eugene Tisserand, Reporters, 



