be proud of how much is collected together, In 

 the ample structure devoted to it, calculated to 

 quicken the.flow of blood within us just as in 

 an inverse -ratio the labor-saving machinery 

 therein has lessened the unhealthy flow and con- 

 sequent exhaustion in the harvest field, and 

 elsewhere on the farm. A retrospective glance 

 at the progress of the last half -century (lam 

 not abte to extend my personal vision so far, 

 but gain the facts at second hand ) reveals pro- 

 cesses and progress, which all ages, all preceding 

 time has failed to equal. One single era of fifty 

 years has done all that. If it be a passing 

 question in the mind of any one who hears me, 

 whether the language used be not too strong, 

 it were only necessary to convince him it is 

 within bounds, to have witnessed the recent 

 trial of mowers and reapers held under the au- 

 spices of the Centennial Commission more 

 especially the reapers. Let me ask those who 

 are old enough to go back to the days of the 

 sickle, when handful by handful the grain was 

 grasped, cut and laid down with careful preci- 

 sion lest a straw should be misplaced or even 

 later in the order of mechanical succession which 

 followed the grain cradle, an American inven- 

 tion and invaluable improvement on the sickle, 

 which, indeed, in the opinion of farmers still 

 living, left no room for further progress in that 

 direction. The acme of perfection has been 

 reached ! Not so, thought the ingenious mechan- 

 ical minds of our countrymen. All hail J to 

 those who have so far succeeded in the great 

 field of invention and made it yield golden fruit 

 for the benefit of the whole human family. 

 Step by step were advances made; each suc- 

 cessive harvest told practically of the improve- 

 ments on old inventions and ideas, or exhibited 

 new principles evolved, elaborated, and turned 

 to the advantage of mankind. 



It has truly been said that he who makes two 

 blades of grass grow where only one grew pre- 

 viously, is a public benefactor ; so it may be 

 aid with equal force that he who enables us to 

 gather them with the least expenditure of sweat 

 and toil is his equal in that direction, and the 

 meed of praise should be awarded him with no 

 Stinted hand. Indeed I make no doubt that 

 future generations will erect statues of endur- 

 ing bronze and marble to those who have so 

 benefited the world at large. I may appear 

 enthusiastic on this subject, but as I have no 

 private purpose to subserve, it may be allow- 

 able thus to give vent to feelings engendered by 

 the recent trials on the Centennial grounds on 

 the banks of the Neshamony. It was only the 

 other day when the reaper cast the grain upon 

 the platf orm,and an intelligent aid, the workman 

 walking behind, or uncomfortably seated, was 

 necessary to remove it. In a little while the 

 Belf-raker came to relieve him and permit his 

 labor to be directed in a more profitable sphere 

 .-one more hand added to the producers of 

 public and private wealth. As in the case ot the 



grain cradle, perfection appeared to have beeo 

 reached, butlo I not so ; the harvester appeared 

 upon the field, carrying upon a revolving apron 

 the cut grain to a platform on which men rode, 

 binding the straw into sheaves. Still further 

 progress was in store, and to-day no manual 

 assistance is required the automatic binder en- 

 circles the straw with a thread of wire, ties it 

 with the precision of the sewing machine, and 

 deposits it upon the ground ready to be carried 

 to the stack-yard. Such was the work exhibit- 

 ed to crowds of appreciative men who had met 

 together to witness the trials. 



Thus we might go on with our illustrations of 

 Agricultural machinery, among which only less 

 important in degree is the thresher and separa- 

 tor. I was recently in conversation with an old 

 farmer who told me he had reached middle 

 age when the flail was the only threshing in- 

 strument (it was not entitled to the dignity of 

 a machine) unless it were the oxen's feet as in 

 the days of ancient Rome and Egypt. Then 

 nearly simultaneously came the " sweep" and 

 the endless-chain horse-power, and my inform- 

 ant assured me that so far as he was informed, 

 a single-horse tread or endless chain power 

 erected by himself was the first machine for 

 threshing set up in Philadelphia county. ^ Placed 

 near a public road it was the wonder of all passers 

 by, who would dismount to get a closer view of 

 the " perpetual motion" perpetual so long as 

 it did not choke, or the horses legs tired not. 

 Now where do we stand when scarcely forty 

 years have been added to that period. The same 

 farmer who related to me his experience, him- 

 self threshes by steam, and machines exist by 

 which it is claimed 2000 bushels of grain may 

 be threshed within a working day not only 

 threshed, but if need be, winnowed, bagged, 

 and made ready for transportation to mill or 

 market. I might refer with equal pride to our 

 improved portable steam engines, to the hay 

 tedder, an invaluable aid when aid is most need- 

 ed ; to the hay loader, an endless-chain which 

 elevates the cured grass and in a few minutes 

 deposits it upo i the wagon ready for the mow- 

 to the grain drill, sowing with speed and almost 

 mathematical precision, and tho' last, still loom- 

 ing up in the future as an agency of immeasur- 

 able power and worth the steam plough, with 

 which I have personally had some practice. 



The difficulties in securing and agreeably di- 

 recting manual labor, will continue to urge on- 

 ward mechanical minds to further triumphs 

 over matter, and we may reasonably calculate 

 on advances in the near future : these advances 

 cannot, however, be prompted by the adoption 

 of resolutions or simple expressions of appro- 

 bation by this convention. But other interests 

 may be forwarded and pressed upon the atten- 

 tion of our farmers, and those to whom is com- 

 mitted the government of state notably among 

 these, that of forestry, and the establishment of 

 schools for instruction in that all-important in- 



