140 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



consequence to be hoped for, of clearer and better 

 ordered fields, and the removal of stumps and stones 

 that have been too long an eye-sore and a disgrace to 

 many of our farms;" and furthermore, that, "the 

 better and stouter the grass, the more perfect has been 

 the working of the machine, in all respects — an in- 

 ducement to better cultivation." It had been stipu- 

 lated that the committee might, at their option, divide 

 the total premium among claimants of equal merit, 

 and the $600 was shared equally in the award be- 

 tween Marcus Barrett of Auburn and S. Parsons & 

 Son of Northampton. 



In the offer of $1000 premium for the next year, the 

 appeal was distinctly to the manufacturers, it being 

 for "the best mowing machine that shall be made and 

 used in the summer of 1856" — that is, the trial was to 

 be with newly made machines, and to continue during 

 the haying season, thus securing the latest improve- 

 ments and an adequate test. A committee of three 

 practical farmers, not members of the society, was 

 appointed to supervise the competition, and make the 

 award. They added one more condition, that each 

 competitor should mow five acres in the presence of 

 the committee on a day fixed by them, and in a field 

 chosen by the exhibitor. Ten machines were entered, 

 and after trial, five were set aside, as being so far 

 inferior that they could not be taken into considera- 

 tion, and one, as not being adapted to the varied 

 surface of this State. The remaining four were as- 

 signed to work in succession on small lots of grass, of 

 equal dimensions, in the same field, each machine 

 being drawn by the same pair of horses and managed 

 by the same driver, who was not interested in any 

 machine. A like trial was had on meadow-bottom, 

 which had never been ploughed, where various natural 



