FARM IMPLEMENTS. 169 



The grass was quite thick upon a part of each lot, and put 

 the several machines to a severe test, on account of clogging. 

 The chief objects of the trial were to give an opportunity for 

 all to witness the workings of the most popular implements at^ 

 the same time, on the same field, at the ordinary rate of travel, 

 and with the same usage, so that comparisons might be made 

 between the work of each ; and also to observe the comparative 

 ease with which each machine was drawn. The Committee 

 would state that they did not request the operators or agents 

 to mow the plots of ground as quickly as possible, but, on the 

 other hand, they desired that they might exhibit the excellent 

 points of their machines by the ordinary, fast or fastest, and 

 by the slow and slowest rates of speed ; and the Committee 

 offer their thanks to the operators for complying with their 

 request. 



The lots of grass for mowers with two horses were 4x10 

 rods=one-fourth of an acre ; and the average time in mowing 

 the same was about sixteen minutes. 



The lots of grass for mowing machines with one horse were 

 42X105 feet=6,930 feet ; average time about nineteen minutes. 



The Committee submit the following list of prizes : — 



For mowing machines, two horses : First prize. Buckeye, -$10 ; 

 driven by A. B. Barnard, of West Fitchburg. Second prize, 

 Union, !^5 ; driven by David Burr. 



For mowers with one horse : First prize. Buckeye, -f 8 ; driven 

 by A. B. Barnard. Second prize, Walter A. Wood, 84 ; driven 

 by James Sampson. 



Of the work of the several machines drawn by two horses, the 

 Committee were for some time divided in their decision ; but 

 at last they unanimously awarded the first prize for " the best 

 mowing" to the Buckeye mower. The prize was severely con- 

 tested by the Union machine, and had their positions been 

 reversed it is possible that the result would have been differ- 

 ent. The Committee were not aware of any difference in the 

 quality of the lots until after being raked. It was found that 

 the lot mowed by Mr. Burr, with the Union mower, had a 

 larger number of mole-hills than either of the other lots. The 

 Committee were unanimous in the opinion that the Kniffen 

 mower, driven by Mr. Griffin, cut the smoothest of any machine 



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