198 



Ifussey^s Mowing and Neaping Machine. 



Vol. 



II- 



Fig. 34. 



Hijssey's Mowing and Reaping Macliine. 



The accompanying engraving represents 

 Mr. Hussey's improvement on a reapmg ma- 

 chine, invented by himself. The original 

 machine was invented in 1833, in Cincinnati, 

 (^hio. In 1834 it was used in Moscow, 

 Ijivingston, Co. N. York, and with what suc- 

 cess will be shown by the following extracts 

 from a communication from Dr. VVm. C. 

 Dwight, and published in the newspapers of 

 that vicinity the same year. 



" The machine has been very fully tried, 

 and I am gratified to be able to say, that it 

 has as fully succeeded ; hundreds of tarmers 

 from the different towns of this, and the ad- 

 joining counties have witnessed its operation, 

 "and all have not only expressed their confi- 

 dence in its success, but their gratification 

 on the perfection of its work. It saves all 

 the grain. To use the language of a gratified 

 looker on, an old and experienced farmer, 

 ' it cheats the hogs. Five acres of heavy 

 wheat on the Genesee flats were harvested 

 in two hours and a half. The horses go at 

 Uie rate of four or five miles an hour, and 

 when the growth of straw is not too heavy, 

 a fair trot is not too much." In 1635 several 

 machines were used in Illinois and Missouri. 

 The following extracts are from certificates 

 published in tlie papers of that country. 



"In the morning I cut five acres of wheat, 

 in two hours and a half, with two horses at a 

 time and changed. In the evening I cut ten 

 acres of rye in three hours and a half, with 

 four horses at a time and no change ; I cut 

 oats Loo much lodged to be cradled, nearly as 

 clean as if they had been standing." 



Stephen Everham. 



In Missouri V/iiliam J. Mcllroy, states 

 that he cut with four horses three acres of 

 grass in one hour, the ground was measured, 



and the tune noted by the company present, 

 the same corroborated by several witnesses 

 in the public prints. 



In lb36 the machine was introduced into 

 Maryland, by the instrumentality of the 

 Board of Trustees of tlie Agricultural So- 

 ciety, for tiie Eastern Shore. The following 

 is extracted from their report which was ex- 

 tensively published. 



"The favorable accounts of the operation 

 of this implement in several of the Western 

 states, induced the Board to invite Mr. Hus- 

 sey to bring it to Maryland, and submit it to 

 their inspection. It was accordingly exhibited 

 in Oxford, Talbot Co., on the first of July in 

 tiie presence of the board, and a considerable 

 number of other gentlemen. Its perfor- 

 mance may be justly denominated perfect, 

 as it cuts every spear of grain, collects in 

 bunches of the proper size for sheaves, and 

 lays it strait and even for the binders. It 

 was afterwards used on the farm of Tench 

 Tilghman, where one hundred and eighty 

 acres of wheat, oats, and barley were cut 

 witii it. 



We deem it a simple, strong, and effective 

 machine, and take much pleasure in award- 

 ing unanimously, the meritorious inventor of 

 it a handsome pair of silver cups. 



Robert H. Goldsborough, S. Stevens, 

 Samuel T. Kennard, Robert Banning, S, 

 IIambleton, sen., N. Goldsborough, E. N. 

 .Tames, L. C. Chamberlain, Martin Golds- ^ 

 BOROUGH, Horatio L. Edmonson, Tench 

 Tilghman. 



In 1837, Mr. Hussey improved the macliine 

 with a design to facilitate its operation on sto- 

 ny land. It was the improved macliine, as 

 represented in the engraving, which elicited 

 the high commendation bestowed upon it by 

 Mr. Stonebreaker, Col. Tilghman, and others 



