TRIAL OF HORSE HAY-FORKS. 



A trial of Horse Hay -Forks was held on the 4th and 5 th of 

 March, 1867, by order of the Board of Managers, and under the 

 direction of a committee selected by the Farmers' Club, consist- 

 ing of S. Edwards Todd, Wm. S. Carpenter, P. T. Quinn, David 

 M. Smith, Josiah H. Macy and Wm. H. Smith. The place of 

 trial was the commodious barn of Mr. Josiah Macy, in the town 

 of Harrison, Westchester county, about one mile west of Rye Sta- 

 tion, on the New York and New Haven railway — who not only 

 supplied teams for drawing hay from the field, but provided a 

 delicious and substantial repast for all the members of the Club 

 in attendance on each day. The following is a list of entries, and 

 brief account of the test of sixteen implements : 



C. C. Blodgett, Watertown, Jeiferson county, N. Y, entered a 

 round harpoon, " Cat's Claw Fork." This was worked with a 

 yoke of oxen, and pitched off 1,500 pounds of hay in nine min- 

 utes and thirty seconds. 



The "Improved Hay Knife and Fork," was entered by George 

 B. Davidson, Troy, Penn; removed 1,607 pounds of hay over the 

 large beam in nine minutes and forty-five seconds. 



"Sprout's Hay Fork and Knife," entered by S. E. and L. 

 B. Sprout, Muncy, Lycoming county, Penn.; pitched ofl^" 1,850 

 pounds of hay, over the large beam, in five minutes and fifty sec- 

 onds. This was worked with a yoke of oxen. 



"Ames' Plow Company Harpoon Fork," commenced pitching, 

 and failing to operate satisfactorily, was removed. 



A large grappling fork was entered by John H. Chapman, 

 Utica, N. Y., which performed its work beautifully ; has three 

 long tines to each head, and was attached to a small car running 

 on a raihvay constructed close in the peak of the barn. This car 

 was so constructed that when the forkful had risen nearly to the 

 top of the barn, directly over the load, the fostening is released 

 automatically and the load moves oflf horizontally to the furthest 

 part of the mow, as rapidly as a horse can walk. In this instance 



