160 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



thorough test of all the points claimed by the exhibitor, in the 

 presence of the multitude who may be there to witness, and 

 then an impartial judgment may be obtained. 



The first American patent of much importance was granted 

 in 1831 , and so rapid have been the improvements and demand 

 for them that, it is said, in 1861 nearly ninety thousand reapers 

 and mowers were sold in the United States. Now, is it not 

 manifest, that while the demand for this kind of machinery 

 increases so rapidly that the utmost care should be taken that 

 quality should not be overlooked by quantity. In answer to a 

 question put by your Committee to one of the exhibitors of 

 mowing machines, referring to its particular merits, he pro- 

 ceeded at once to tell how many had been sold in a year. 

 Now this is not important for the society or community to 

 know ; but if one machine will do the same (or more) work 

 than the other, with less power, the mechanical parts being 

 equal, then that is the machine wanted by every farmer. But 

 the question arises, how shall we get at this result ? We ask, 

 cannot our society prepare its grounds in such a manner and 

 put on such a crop as will bring the machines to a thorough and 

 practical test ? What we ask for the plough, the mower and 

 reaper, we also ask for the rake, tedder, fork, threshing machine 

 and all others which are of the greatest importance to the 

 farmers. Let this be done at the expense of the society. It 

 is for their benefit. It is a tax to poor inventors to bring their 

 machines and remain on the grounds to exhibit them. But it 

 may be said it will not pay. We ask, what society has tried it ? 

 If none, then why not ours ? — ours, which being located in the 

 same vicinity, and under the shadow of the Agricultural College 

 of Massachusetts, ought, of all others, to be the one to take ad- 

 vance steps, while all the world looks on. Let us move forward ; 

 offer a specific and liberal reward for the best mowing machine, 

 equal to that which may be offered for the greatest speed of a 

 horse, and instead of two machines for competition, we have no 

 doubt that there would be six times the number ; and we believe 

 the same would be true in reference to most, if not all, of the 

 other agricultural implements and machinery used or needed 

 in our community. 



We hope to see the time when the mechanical part of agri- 

 culture shall be elevated to its true position and receive its 



