172 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



down. Aud I am confident that no machine but the strongest, 

 could endure the wear and tear to which it is subjected on such 

 a surface. 



" No difficulty has been experienced in the varieties of grass 

 which I have cut. The heaviest and the lightest have fallen 

 equally well, and no trouble has been met in turning the corn- 

 ers or in driving the machine so as to avoid clogging. 



" The experience of this season has convinced me that on 

 ordinary, rough New England farms, the Ketchum machine 

 works almost to perfection. I do not mean to say it has no 

 equal, for I have not experience to warrant such a statement. 

 But in all varieties of work, light grass and heavy, lodged 

 clover and upright Timothy, rough land and smooth, I find that I 

 can rely on its operations, without particular effort to secure for 

 it any advantages. Its draught is no trouble to such horses as 

 a farmer ought to own. And it does its work without any extra 

 and ingenious appliances. 



" Of the economy of mowing machines, it seems to me there 

 can be no question. I have found that the machine operated 

 on the Pickman farm would cut grass enough in four or five 

 hours in the morning to keep the laborers busy during the day, 

 and as much as could be cured and got in with ease. The two 

 seasons during which I have witnessed the working of the 

 machine, I have made it, in my mind, an absolute necessity, in 

 all economical management of the farm, to which purpose 

 alone I have had it applied." 



But the great trial in this State the past year, was in compe- 

 tition for the premium of ^1,000 already allnded to, for the best 

 mowing machine. Three farmers of well known good judg- 

 ment were appointed to act as a committee. They gave all the 

 machines entered a very thorough and careful examination, 

 saw the work of each, and made a report which has been re- 

 turned to me in manuscript, and will shortly be published in 

 full. In this report, after speaking of several machines, which, 

 after a preliminary examination or trial, were ruled out for 

 palpable defects, they say : — 



The four other machines were tried upon another lot of grass, on 

 patches of equal dimensions, each in succession, both when the grass 

 was wet and dry. This was a heavy crop of clover, Timothy and 



