48 Agricultitral Implements and Produce. 



imperfect way in which the grain was delivered from the plat- 

 form after being cut, and the evident want of some method of 

 laying the heads and straw parallel and in bundles and sheaves, 

 and also for clearing the ground and leaving the track clear for 

 the liorses on the return cut. This defect in distributing the cut 

 grain as it falls from the knives appears to be the principal ob- 

 jection to this machine. Burgess and Key's clearing apparatus, 

 if properly constructed, may probably remedy this evil, and 

 render the machine much more perfect in its operations than it 

 has been heretofore.** 



W. M. Dray and Co.'s MacJdne (English) is of an exceeding 

 compact form. It is entirely without a reel for gathering in the 

 corn to the cutters, and requires only one man as a reaper to 

 watch the cutters and discharge the corn as it is received upon 

 the board or wooden platform behind. The cutters are 5 feet 

 wide, and it rea])ed 2250 square metres in 35 minutes.f The 

 peculiar features of this machine are, its portable construction 

 and the receiving-board, which moves upon an axis. By the 

 pressure of the reaper's ioot the platform is tilted, and the grain 

 drops behind, ready for the person who follows to bind and tie 

 it up. The only objection to this process is that it requires the 

 binding to be done immediately, otherwise the horses, at every 

 succeeding cut, would trample over the previously reaped corn, 

 and, moreover, would effectually impede the working of the 

 machine. Under these circumstances the track previously cut 

 must be entirely cleared in order to prepare for that which suc- 

 ceeds. This operation of the tilting-board, which throws the 

 grain upon the track behind, appears to be the chief defect in 

 the machine. A different clearing apparatus to effect the dis- 

 charge of the cut grain in a lateral direction would render this 

 machine much more valuable. It would give time for binding 

 up the grain into sheaves, and at the same time it would clear 

 the track for the horses and machine in their return for the 

 next cut. 



The last machine (the Canadian), which completes the three 

 groups, was withdrawn, from some cause that was not explained. 



On a careful examination of the several machines entered for 

 the prizes, it will be observed that in every one of them an at- 

 tempt was made to effect a certain purpose by certain means of 

 transmission, calculated to retard rather than facilitate the pro- 

 gress of cutting. In machines of this description, where horses 



* A trial has been made of this apparatus since the above was written, but 

 without success. I am not prepared to state from what cause, but will take an 

 early opportunity of ascertaining the facts or of witnessing its performance at some 

 future trial. 



t Some say 34 minutes. 



