INVENTION or KKAI'ING MACHINES. 15 



the preference to Mr. McCormick's machine;" you also advert to a 

 trial between these rival machines a few days subsequent, at this place, 

 and request to know my impressions after this second trial. I presume 

 from the fact of my having ordered one of your reapers for the ensu- 

 ing harvest, that it is you.- purpose to publish this statement. Averse 

 as 1 am to having my name in print on tins, or any other occasion, I 

 cannot with propriety decline a response to your inquiry. I had never 

 seen or formed an idea of a reaping machine until I went to Hutchin- 

 son's — I was surprised and delighted with the performance of each of 

 them, and fully resolved to own one of them by the wtvr/ harvest, but 

 their performance that day left me in a state of doubt which I should 

 select. — The report spoke in terms of high praise of each machine, and 

 I consented to its award that on the xvhole Mr. McCormick's was prefer- 

 able, merely because being the cheapest and requiring but two horses, 

 it would best suit the majority of our farmers, who make small crops 

 of wheat on ivcak Lmd—iox I doubted its capacity in heavy grain 

 After this Report was made I heard your complaint that you did not 

 have a fair trial, because being unable to bring into the field your large 

 improved Reaper, which was up the River, you were compelled to 

 comply with your engagemeyit for the day, with a small and inferio) 

 machine, drawn by an indifferent and untutored team. Mr. Hutchin- 

 son's wheat was badly rusted, and therefore light. I had ready foi 

 the scythe, a low ground field of heavy and well matured grain: partly 

 to expedite my harvest work, and partly to renew the trial, that I might 

 solve my doubts as to the merits of these machines, I succeeded in 

 engaging them to be at Tree Hill on a named day — they both came 

 agreeable to appointment, Mr. McCormick bringing the machine he 

 used at Hutchinson's, and you bringing the one you could not on that 

 occasion bring down the river. The day was fine; and both machines 

 did their best, and had a very fair trial. My doubts were fully re- 

 moved, and my mind convinced that for the heavy wheat we raise on 

 our river low grounds, rich bottoms, &c., yojtr machine is superior to 

 Mr. McCormick's, of which I still thi>^k highly— I accordingly ordered 

 one of yours to be made for the approaching harvest. 



I wish you all possible success in cutting hemp in the " Great 

 West." — It must be very desirable to cut that valuable plant instead of 

 pulling it up by the roots, and I cannot doubt that your reaper has 

 ample pozoer for the process 



Most respectfully, yours, &c., W. H. Roane. 



Mr. Obed Hussey, Baltimore. 



We are not advised at what precise period subsequent to 1843 ^^^ 

 previous to 1847, (when C. H. McCormick patented the raker's seat) 

 that he changed the arrangement of his wheels. &c., so as to admit a 

 seat for his raker without " tipping up the machine " as was unavoida- 

 ble previously. From evidence deemed fully reliable, he was not the 

 first even on his own machine, to provide a seat for the raker, " and all 

 take a ride." It is laborious enough to test fully the endurance of the 

 most powerful and muscular man, to n'de and rake; but to walk and 



