100 



GENESEE FARMER. 



April. 



McCOR)IirK'S PATENT "VIRGLMA REAPER." 



[For Cut of this Macuini:, ske page 91.] 



Brockport, March 20, 1846. 



The undersipiied respectfully oilers his PATENT REAP- 

 ER to the fanners of Aevv York, und the Western States 

 generally ; and while lie believes that no labor saving ma- 

 chine has ever ijet^i introduced into public favor more cau- 

 tiously, and at the same time with more general satisfaction 

 to purchasers than his Reaper, he has the satisfaction of be- 

 ing able to present it for llie harvest of 184(), in a greatly 

 improved slate. He can now warrant the raking of the 

 wheat from the machine to be accomplished with ease and 

 completeness, by a man comfortably seated upon it, whose 

 position may be seen i'roin the above cut. This improve- 

 ment was thoroughly tested in the last harvest with the 

 most signal success, and as is believed, perfects the Reaper. 

 An account of its operation on the estate of the late Gen. 

 Mills of .Mount iMorris, by Samuel J. Mills, Esq., is hereto 

 subjoined. 



This Machine, unlike many of the improvements of the 

 present age, is not now ollcred to the public eitlicr as an un- 

 tried experiment, or only having been partiallj' tested, and 

 therefore not to he relied upon. It has been extensively 

 and most succcssfull}' in use in Virginia, since the harvest 

 of 1842 ; and during the last two years has been extensively 

 introduced into most of the wheat growing states of the 

 Union, and in no case has it met with any opposition. So 

 wide has been its range of operations in the last harvest 

 thai it would be impossible, in a publication of this descrip- 

 tion, to give all, or even very many of the numerous ceriifi- 

 cates that have been procured of its satisfactory performance. 

 Hand Bills will he issued in the course of a few days by 

 Messrs. Backus, Fitch, &. Go. ot Brockport, IMonroe Co., 

 containing not only a description of the Machine, but the 

 most full and unequivocal testimony of its usefulness and 

 value to the farmer, by numerous individual.N- of the very 

 first respectability wdio have witnessed its operalions. The 

 ■terms on which this machine may be had, and the guaranty 

 that will be given on its sale, should induce every farmer 

 whose lands and crops suit its operation to give it a trial — 

 as, should it prove equal to the guaranty, it will do inore 

 than pay for itself in cutting a single harvest. Any person 

 can make the calculation for himself. As improved, one man 

 to rake, and a boy to dri\.e the horses, will attend the Ma- 

 chine, instead of two full hands as before, and from two to 

 three acres more in a daj' m.ay be cut by the improved Raker 

 than with the old, by means of the greater ease with which 

 it is done, which makes a great diflerence in a single harvest 

 of any extent — say r: 25 or .$30. 



The Reaper is warranted to cut from 15 to 20 acres a daj- — 

 to save an average of a bushel of wheat to the acre hat 

 would be lost by ordinary cnidling, to be durable and not 

 liable to get out of order, and the raking as stated above. 

 Price $100, payable on delivery at Brockport, Monroe Co., 

 New York ; or time will be given for good paper drawing 

 interest. 



The undersigned, Patentee of the Machine, has contract- 

 ed witii Messrs. Backus, Fitch, & Co., of this })lace, expe- 

 rienced, well known, and established manufacturers, for 

 the making of a large numb r of Reapers for the ensuing 

 harvest, to whom orders may be dircct<id. Many orders 

 have been already received fnmi the west, as well as from 

 the snrrotuiding country ; therefore any persons desious of 

 obtiiining machines w'ould do well to make early applica- 

 tion, as we do not expect to be able to supply all demands. 



C. H. McCORMICK. 



{From the Mount Morris ( N. Y.) Spectator.'] 

 Mj{. HARDiNf; — Dear Sir : Having made a trial of Mr. 

 Cyrus II. McCormick's Reaping Machine, for Cutting Grain, 

 I take pleasure in making a public statement of it, agreeably 

 to his wishes. Mr. McCormick, the inventor, introdu(!ed 

 his machine here from Virginia. He did not arrive with it 

 wntil the sea-son for cutting Wheat had nearly passed — and 

 consequently cut only about thirty acres for mo. The 

 ground was level, being on the ticnesec Flats, though the 

 surface was somewhat uneven, as it was a piece turned 

 over last fall, when put into wheat, with a very heavy turf, 

 and many of the sods still remaining on the top of the ground. 

 But they seemed to form no impediment to its succcsful op- 

 eration. The machine cut one piece of twenty-five acres in 

 a little less than a day and a half ; averaging about two acres 

 p<-r hour for the time it was in optiration. The wheat cut, 

 if well fdled, would yield about thirty bushels to the acre. 

 The grain was cut cleaner and more even than could have 



been cut with the cradle or sickle. It is drawn by two hor- 

 ses with ease, and is attended by a man to rake, and a boy 

 to ride and drive, 'i'he raker rides on a seat attached to the 

 Machine, and rakes the wheat olV at the side in gavels ready 

 for binding. The Machine is simple in its construction. — 

 The Knife has a sickle edge, and plays horizontally ; and 

 is represented to cut one hundred acres or more without 

 .sharpening. The reel gathers tlie wheat for cutting, and 

 lops it over on the table for the raker. 1 design to use the 

 Mai hine the next season. I have no doubt it would work 

 well on up lands, where tolerably free from stumps and 

 large stones. 



A number of persons who were present and witnessed its 

 operation, uniformly, I believe, expressed much satisfiction. 



An incident occurred which may not be out of place to 

 mention. Two Cnidlers, hearing that a Machine was in 

 the lot for cutting Wheat, never having seen one, and be- 

 lieving that they could cut faster and better than any live 

 Machine, started, with Cradles in hand, with the determi- 

 nation (to use their own words) of " skunking it." As they 

 reached the fence, in .sight of the Machine, and saw the 

 rapid pace with which it moved, they hid their cradles in 

 the crook of the fence, and sloped otT. 



Yours, &c., SAMUEL J. MILLS. 



3ft. Morris, Aug. 15, 1845. 



The undersigned deem it necessary to add but little to 

 the foregoing account of the celebrated " Virginia Reaper," 

 as given by the inventor. After witnessing its operation, 

 and that to the satisfaction, we believe, of a large number 

 of farmers who were present, we were induced to purchase 

 the exclusive right to supply the counties of Monroe and 

 Orleans. We were, and still are, satisfied that it must al- 

 most entirely supercede all other methods of harvesting on 

 all lands suited to its operation, which (it will be observed 

 from cirtiticatcs) are neither required to be level or smooth, 

 though it is of course desirable to prepare lands as well as 

 may be for its operation. It is also adapted to small, as well 

 as large farmers, as two, three, or more can unite in the 

 pureliase of a machine, according to the extent of their har- 

 vest, or the size of their farms. 



As has been stated by Mr. McCokmick, we have con- 

 tracted with him to manufacture a large number of his Reap- 

 ers, which will be furnished on the terms above mentioned, 

 and for which orders will be thankfully received, and 

 promptly and faithfully attended to. 



BACKUS, FITCH, & CO., 

 Brockport, Monroe County, N. Y. 



ROCHESTER (N. Y.) NURSERY. 



Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 



The subscriber offers for sale a choice collec- 

 tion of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, and Hardy Shrubs, 

 which have been cultivated with great care, and are of suit- 

 able size for transplanting this spring. Persons wishing a 

 succession of fruit, and not being familiar with the necessa- 

 ry varieties, by leaving the selection to the subscriber may 

 depend upon receiving the most desirable assortment. In 

 every such selection, quality, and not the size of the trees, 

 will be the rule adopted. 



]}[^ For particulars see Catalogue, which may be had by 

 application. Orders from a distance will be carefully pack- 

 ed and shipped accoiding to directions. Nursery, East 

 North-st., 3 miles North of Rochester. Office 30 Front-st. 



April, 1846. SAMUEL MOULSON. 



CHOICE FRUIT TREES. 



For Sale, at the Rochester Commercial Nursery, on 

 Main street, one mile east of the Court House. The sub- 

 scribers olfer for sale nearly 200,000 Fruit Trees of various 

 varieties and sizes, for cash or credit, upon the most favor- 

 able terms. 



Also — .\n assortment of hardy Ornamental Trees and 

 Shrubs. 



Also — Scions of almost every description of Fruit. The 

 sibovohave lieen thoroughly tested, and will be warranted 

 of the kinds represented. 



BISSELL & HOOKER, at the Nursery, or 

 J, W. BissELL, No. 1, Arcade Hall. 



March 1, 1846. 2m. 



Wanted, at the Genesee Seed Store, 500 bushels Tim- 

 othy and Clover Seed, for which the highest cash price wil 

 be iKiid by the subscribers. RAPALJE &. BRIGGS. 



