INVENTION (JF KKAIMNO MACHINES. 



to a third less draught; the old and nearly worn out implement " does 

 well enouf^h." Gen. T. was, we believe, the first farmer in Maryland 

 to use, and purchase a reapin<^ machine; and by so doinj^, to aid the 

 inventi\e cj^enius and talent of his countrj-mcn, and also at the same 

 time greatly to benefit the interest of his brother farmers. It avails 

 little to the inventor, or the i)ublic, how valuable his imjn'ON'ement may 

 be, — for in nine cases out of ten the iinentor is limited in means — if 

 none can be found who are both able and willin<^ to lend a helpint:^ 

 hand to modest merit; for true genius is ever modest; and unfortu- 

 nately the term is too often synonymous with penury and want. 



Very few of the really valuable inventions inure to the benefit of the 

 inventors, — even to a tithe of the profits that are occasionally realized. 

 His necessities often compel him to a forced sale of his Patent right 

 to some capitalist who has the tact to turn other men's wits to his own 

 advantage; or the Public, — which sim[)ly means other cajiitalists of 

 another description, who possess little or no inventive genius them- 

 selves, and just about as much princij^lc as genius — seize upon the 

 invention, and often in spite of law, justice, or right, reap the reward 

 justly due to another. 



This however, is a digression for which we beg the reader's par- 

 don; but we could not let the occasion pass, without rendering this 

 honest tribute to the public spirited farmer, v.-ho had the discernment 

 to perceive its merits, and the liberality to aid its introduction, of one 

 of the most valuable improvements of this, or any age. 



REPORT of the Board of Trustees of " The I\Iar\'land Agricultural 

 Society," for the Eastern Shore, on the Machine for Harvesting 

 Small Grain, invented by Mr. Obed Hussey of Cincinnati, Ohio. 

 — Trial for Harvest of iSj6. 



The favorable accounts of the operation of this implement, in sev- 

 eral of the Western States, induced the Board to invite Mr. Hussey to 

 bring it to Mar}-land and submit it to their insj:)ection. It was accord- 

 ingly exhibited in Oxford, Talbot Co., on the first of July, in presence 

 of the Board and a considerable number of other gentlemen. Its per- 

 formance may justly be denominated perfect, as it cuts every spear of 

 grain, collects it in bunches of the proper size for sheaves, and la\-s it 

 straight and even for the binders. On the I2th July, a public exhibi- 

 tion was made at Easton, under the direction of the Board; several 

 hundred [)ersons, principally farmers, assembled to witness it, and 

 expressed themselves as highly satisfied with the result. At the 

 Trappe, where it was shown by the Inventor on the following Saturday, 

 an equal degree of approbation was exinced. It was afterwards used 

 on the farm of Mr. Tench Tilghman, where i8o acres of wheat, oats, 

 and barley were cut with it. Three mules of medium size worked in it 

 constantly with as much ease as in a drag harrow. They moved with 

 equal facility in a walk or trot. A concise description of this simple 



