FARM IMPLEMENTS. 171 



Of all the improvements made in agricultural implements, or 

 macliinery for facilitating the labor of the farm, there seems to 

 have been greater advancement made, within a few years, in 

 the various implements necessary to secure the hay crop than 

 in any other branch of farm labor. 



If any one part of the exhibition attracted more attention than 

 another it was the working of the hay-tedders. The grass upon 

 wdiicli the exhibition of the tedders took place was new-mown 

 rowen, some of which was very thick and heavy ; but the grass 

 was tossed by the rotary forks of the tedders in a manner often 

 eliciting applause and laughter from the many witnesses 

 present. 



We are of the opinion that the hay-tedder cannot be too highly 

 commended for general use on large farms, as one tedder with 

 a horse and driver, in the opinion of good judges, is equivalent 

 to the labor of from seven to ten men. They leave tlie grass 

 very light, and, working with such thoroughness and great 

 rapidity, they enable the owner to " make hay while the sun 

 shines " in the true sense of the old adage. 



There were three tedders on exhibition, and we award the 

 first prize to the American Hay-Tedder, entered by the Ames 

 Plow Company, and the second prize to Bullard's Tedder, 

 entered by Parker, Gannett & Osgood. 



The Committee are not aware that there was a great prefer- 

 ence in the quality of the work performed ; but, judging from 

 the appearance of the horses when working them, they are of 

 the opinion that the American Hay-Tedder is of the lightest 

 draft, and that the labor of the horse that worked the Bullard 

 Tedder was too severe. 



The New England Tedder, presented by Parker, Gannett & 

 Osgood, was easily drawn, and seemed to do the work very 

 well ; but throwing the grass towards the driver and horse. 

 The Committee thought this feature quite a serious objection. 



Of wheel-rakes there were five different patterns upon trial. 

 The quality of the grass was so green and heavy that it seemed 

 a very difficult task to accomplish the work of raking in a satis- 

 factory manner, and the Committee make but one award, viz. : — 



First prize for the best raking to the Bay State Rake, entered 

 by Parker, Gannett & Osgood, of Boston. 



