1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



407 



of the use of machinery in agriculture, and particu- 

 larly of those machines for harvesting, to test which 

 the present trial was instituted. He instructed the 

 competitors and judges in the duties expected of 

 them, and enlarged upon the interest and impor- 

 tance of the trial about to take place. 



After the address the class of "Mowers and Com- 

 bined Machines" went in procession to a field of 

 matted clover belonging to Dr. Calvin, passing 

 through a decorated gate-way. It was escorted by 

 the military, rather to the regret of the more prac- 

 tical farmers. Then came the opening contest of 

 this' mechanical tournament, nineteen machines en- 

 tering. They started together, at the sound of the 

 bugle, and presented a stirring spectacle, which 

 was apparently appreciated by the thousands who 

 lined the fences. In twenty minutes Ketchum's 

 machine cut its acre, clean and smooth — in twenty- 

 two minutes Wood's improved Manny machine had 

 finished its work, and others came out soon after. 

 Speed, however, is but a part of the test. 



The field test Wednesday was probably the finest 

 exhibition of Mowing Machines ever witnessed. 

 The field was a level area of twenty-three acres, 

 covered with a dense growth of timothy grass and 

 clover, which was staked out in lots of about an 

 acre and a quarter each. The machines were en- 

 tered in classes of four, and almost every one per- 

 formed its work admirably. The Ketchum m.a- 

 chine, which is made at Buffalo, was rather the fa- 

 vorite, but the Manny, with Wood's improvement, 

 had many admirers. Allen's New York machine 

 worked to a charm, and it is conceded is one of the 

 simplest and best in use. 



Trials of the Mowing Machines with Bradford's 

 Dynamometer and with Holmes's side draft guage 

 occupied most of the day, on Thursday. Allen's 

 Mower (the New* York machine) was rather th 

 favorite, as it was proved that the draft was light 

 while there is no perceptible side draft. It does 

 its work well, cutting wide and clean swaths, and 

 ^'s very easily managed, cutting closely around trees 

 fences, and other obstacles. The next favorite 

 was Manny's Patent, with Wood's Improvement, 

 which (like Allen's) is not a heavy burthen for the 

 team. Other machines attracted much attention, 

 and, as is usually the case, each had its admirers. 

 The Heath Machine, which took the $1000 prize, 

 offered by the Mass. society last year, proved a fail- 

 ure, from some unexplained defect in the construc- 

 tion, and was withdrawn after the trial on Wednes- 

 day. The trial of Mowing Machines closejl on 

 Thursday, the inventors being unanimous in com- 

 mending the careful manner in which the examina- 

 tions were conducted. 



The Reaping Machines were severely tested on 

 Friday, in a large and dense field of rye, which 

 rather gave the hand-raker machines the advan- 

 tage, as the automaton rakers are better calculated 



for the short and more erect grains of the prairies. 

 One of the latter class is the invention of Pells 

 Manny, of Illinois, the father of J. H. Manny, who 

 invented the Mowing Machine which bears his 

 name. The "Kentucky Harvester," which cuts a 

 swath nearly six feet in width, worked admirably 

 well, and the "Allen" Machine performed even bet- 

 ter as a Reaper than it had as a Mower, proving its 

 excellence as a "Combined Machine." "McCor- 

 mick's Reaper" sustained its trans-Atlantic reputa- 

 tation, and cut up the face of a hill with admirable 

 precision of movement. 



On Saturday, the great industrial contest was 

 over, having been terminated with a trial of all the 

 Reaping and Combined Machines in large fields of 

 rye and wheat, well calculated to display the pow- 

 ers of the various models, as the grain was rather 

 green, and badly lodged in some places. Never 

 has there been a more thoroughly demonstrated 

 proof of the practicability of substituting machin- 

 ery for human muscles in the harvest field; and it 

 is stated that nearly five hundred machines of dif- 

 ferent patterns were sold during the week to the 

 farmers who had come to see the show. 



The result of the trial, as far as the judges' 

 awards are concerned, will not be announced until 

 the exhibition at Louisville, in September. We 

 understand that the committees were made up with 

 great care, and instructed to report upon every cir- 

 cumstance in regard to the. construction of the sev- 

 eral machines, their weight, material, dimensions, 

 price, &c., and their reports will doubtless be full 

 and accurate. 



We are expecting an account of the trial from 

 an officer of the society who was present, but as it 

 has not yet reached us, we have compiled the above 

 report from the excellent letters in the Daily Jour- 

 nal, and promise our readers a more complete state- 

 ment when our friend's letter comes. 



For the New England Farmer. 



CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 



So much has been said about the culture of this 

 plant, that I have been anxious to see it in grow- 

 ing, promising condition. I have inquired of sever- 

 al who have planted seed, and been shown by them 

 a feeble, diminutive looking grass, which they sup- 

 posed to have sprung from the seed they planted ; 

 but no one seemed to have confidence that the 

 plants would reach maturity, and if it did, that they 

 would be of any value, under our chilling north- 

 ern influences. The result may be otherwise — I 

 hope it will. I should be sorry to have in our 

 midst, so marked an instance of "a great cry and 

 little wool" — though I have never had confidence 

 that it was a plant fit to be grown north of Mason 

 & Dixon's line. Essex. 



July 10, 1857. 



OC^ The formation of a society in Essex county 

 for the improving of horses is in contemplation. 



