46 Agricultural Implements and Produce. 



square metres in 24 minutes. This machine is nearly self-acting, 

 and only requires the driver ; one attendant, indeed, following 

 the machine in case anything goes wrong. Its novelty consists 

 in a rake worked from the wheel that drives the cutter-shaft. It 

 is attached by an arm or connecting-rod to the bevel-wheel, and 

 by a combination of levers it receives a rotatory motion, which, 

 along with that in a longitudinal direction, drags the grain for- 

 ward over the side of the board. In order, however, to make 

 sure of the discharge, another rake or cleaner strips the before- 

 mentioned one of its load, and lays the straw in parallel lines 

 ready to be bound into sheaves. This machine, like Cournier's, 

 has some clever devices about it ; but, like all new attempts at 

 improvements, there still remain some further improvements to 

 simplify and make the machine more effective and complete. 



Laivrent (French). — This machine, like Cournier's, was con- 

 stantly choking with the straw round the cutters. It is a copy 

 of Bell's, and requires two men at the pole — a driver and a reaper 

 — to work it. It is a heavy machine, and almost too much for 

 two horses to work, and the reason of its entanglement was a 

 falling off in the speed. In all these machines speed is an ele- 

 ment of success, as might be seen whenever the velocity of the 

 knives and the speed of the machine were reduced ; on such 

 occasions, choking or entanglement of the straw was the result. 

 This being the case, it is therefore a consideration of much im- 

 portance to have all these machines of such dimensions as to 

 enable the horses to work them with ease at the required 

 velocity. 



Group 2. 



Mazier s Machine (French). — This machine is of light con- 

 struction, adapted for one horse, and cuts a breadth of 2 feet 7 

 inches in line all round the field. It cuts either right or left, by 

 means of the frame containing the cutters turning on a central 

 axis. The knives are worked by a wheel and worm, and are 

 well calculated for cutting light grain, such as oats and barley, 

 but might prove inefficient in operation on a field of heavy 

 wheat. The machine, as a whole, was rather slender for the 

 work it had to perform ; but, if well constructed, and the parts 

 judiciously proportioned for two horses, there is no reason why 

 it should not reap any description of grain. In the attempt to 

 cut the allotment it unfortunately broke down by some of the 

 parts giving way. 



J. M. Mamiy (United States). — Mr. Manny's allotment con- 

 sisted of 1900 square metres, which he cut in 2Q minutes. 

 The machine is worked by two horses, and cuts a breadth of 

 4 feet 6 inches. Mr. M. speaks highly of his machine, and 



