54 



grain deposited thereon by the reel and from which it was raked to the 

 side in gavels ready to bind. A divider to separate the grain to be 

 cut from that left standing." (Knight's New Mechanical Dictionary, 

 by Edward H. Knight, A. M'., L.L. D., in charge of the classifications 

 and publications of the United States Patent Office.) 



Professor Roberts, of Cornell University, perhaps the best-known 

 agriculturist in America, and who takes great interest in farm imple- 

 ments, writing in Johnson's Universal Encyclopedia on the reaping 

 machine, states : 



"In 1831 the machine of Cyrus H. McCormick was invented and 

 successfully operated. This machine for the first time was an organ- 

 ized instrument, containing practical devices that have been incorpo- 

 rated in every successful reaper made since. As built and tested in the 

 fall of 1831 it contained the reciprocating knife moving through fixed 

 fingers to sever the grain, the platform which received the grain, the 

 reel to hold the grain for the knife, and to incline it upon the platform, 

 and the divider projecting ahead of the knife to separate the grain 

 to be cut from that left standing. The horses traveled ahead of the 

 machine, and beside the standing grain. It was mounted upon two 

 wheels, and the motion to move the operating parts was derived from 

 the outer wheel." 



While in Paris in 1878 Mr. McCormick was elected a member 

 of the French Academy of Science, as " having done more for the 

 cause of agriculture than any other living man. " 



In the article written for the Mechanics' Magazine of May, 1834, 

 Mr. McCormick asserted his claim to the invention of the reaping 

 machine. Throughout his life he defended his position whenever 

 attacked by his rivals in business. At different times Ogle, Bell, Ran- 

 dall and others have been put forward as the inventor. The latest 

 name is that of Hussey. Having shown thus fully what Hussey did, 

 it will be interesting to learn who will next be named inventor by 



the rival manufacturers of reapers. 



R. B. SWIFT, 

 Chicago, April 10, 1897. 



