INVENTION Ol' KLAl'ING MACHINES. ly 



ventor, for it may well be supposed it was an anxious moment to him, 

 and he desired no witnesses to his failure. The machine was started; 

 but owing to some part j^i\ int^ away, or some slif^ht defect not appar- 

 ent until then, it failed to work satisfactorily. One burley fellow 

 present picked up a cradle, and swinging it with an air of great exul- 

 tation, exclaimed, " this is the machine to cut the wheat !" 



After the jeers and merriment of the crowd had somewhat subsided. 

 the inventor remedied the defect, and assisted by the laborers present 

 — the horses having been remo\-ed — pulled the machine to the top of 

 an adjacent hill; when alone, he drew the machine down the hill, and 

 through the standing grain, when it cut every head clean in its track ! 



The same machine was directly afterwards exhibited before the 

 Hamilton County Agricultural Society near Carthage, on the 2nd of 

 July, 1833. Of its operation and success, the following statements: 

 and certificates, now in our possession, sufficiently testify. Doctor 

 Wallace as well as some others of the gentlemen, are li\'ing witnesses 

 of what is here stated. 



Cincinnati, November 20th, 1833. 



This may certifx', that I was present on the 2nd day of July near 

 Carthage in this county, at an experiment trial with a machine in- 

 vented by Mr. Obed liussey for cutting grain. The operation was 

 performed on a field of wheat. The machine was found to cut the 

 wheat clean, and with great rapidity. But owing to its having been 

 imperfectly made, being only constructed for the experiment, some 

 parts of wood which should have been made of iron, and in conse- 

 quence frequently getting some parts out of order, a correct estimate 

 of the quantity of work it would perform in a given time could not be 

 made. One point was however satisfactorily established, that the 

 principle uj)on which the machine is constructed will oj)crate; and 

 when well built will be an important improvement, antl greatly facili- 

 tate the harvesting of grain. I would also remark that the horses 

 moving the machine, were walked, and trotted, and it was found to 

 cut best with the greatest velocity. 



C. D. Wallace. 

 Secretary of the Hamilton County Agricultural Society. 



We, the undersigned, witnessed the exhibition of Mr. O. Hussey's 

 Machine for cutting grain alluded to by Dr. Wallace, and do fully 

 concur with his statement of its performance. We would further add, 

 that notwithstanding its temporary construction, its performance far 

 exceeded our expectation. Cutting the grain clean and rapid!)-, and 

 leaving it in good order for binding. Wc are of the opinion that the 

 machine is capable of being propelled at the rate of five miles the 

 hour, and do good work. The machine was worked when the cutters 

 were both in a sharp, and a dull condition, and no difference could be 

 perceived in its execution. 



( Sii^ned. ) 

 G. A. Mavhew, Jacob White, S. W. Folger, 



T. R. Seb'ring, H. B. Coffin. T. B. Coffin, 



A. Castner, C. F. Coffm, Wm. Paddock. 



