32 BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE 



ever, call the reader's attention to the concluding paragraph of Maj. J. 

 Jones' letter, from Delaware — one of the smallest States, but contain- 

 ing as large a proportion of noble minded, talented men, and as good 

 practical farmers, as any in the Union.* 



It will be perceived that a Reaper sold in 1838 to the St. George's, 

 and Appoquinomick Ag. Society, had, after subsequently coming into 

 the possession of Col. Vandergrift, and prior to 1845, " cut about seven 

 hundred acres of his grain," and "was then in good repair"! We wish 

 it was in our power to state, how many times seven hundred acres, this 

 single machine had reaped since 1838. 



Wheatland, Del. July 21, 1845. 



Mr. Hussev — Dear Sir: I have just finished cutting my oats; I 

 finished cutting my wheat on the 28th of June, having cut over 160 

 acres, excepting what was cut by a cradle in opening tracks for the horses 

 and rounding "the corners so that the machine might sweep round 

 without loss of time in turning, which it did with ease and certainty, 

 cutting more than 20 acres a day on an average. A part of the wheat 

 was so heavy as to require three active shockers to keep up with the 

 cutting; the whole cost of all necessary repairs 3 1 % cents for the harvest. 



Of the two machines which I purchased of you, I used the large 

 one, having sold the small one to Richard Millwood, who rents the 

 farrn of Dr. Noble. Strange as it may appear, I could find no la?id- 

 holder in the vicinity who had enterprise enough to risk the purchase 

 of that machine until they could see it work; but after the perform- 

 ance was once witnessed, the impression it made was such as to justify 

 me in ordering you to have ten ready by next harvest for New Castle 

 County, Del. Mr. Millwood's wheat was very heavy, one measured 

 acre having 60 dozen sheaves upon it, and the whole cutting tinie on 

 the 40 acre field was but two days, making for the small machine a 

 full average of 20 acres per day, without any repairing or accident. 

 None of the hands who worked it had ever seen such a machine before 

 those you sent to me My crop has not all passed through the half 

 bushel yet, but it will fall but little short of 3000 bushels— I expect it 

 will all be in market to-morrow. 



In conversation with Col. Vandergrift, the present owner of the 

 Reaper you sold to the St. George and Appoquinomick Agricultural 

 Society, in 1838, he told me that he had cut about 700 acres of wheat 

 and oats with it since he owned it, and up to that time the cost of 

 repairs had been $1.25 for every hundred acres cut. It was then in 

 good repair. Yours, 



John Jones. 



*It is reported of one of her sons, that during the struggle for Independence, 

 when a Delegate to the Convention from one of the largest and most powerful 

 Colonies was ready to quail and almost despair of success in the unequal contest, he 

 was encouraged and cheered on by a member from little Delaware; and told, that 

 when he found his Colony likely to be overrun by the enemy, to call on Delaware for 

 aid— she would lend a helping hand, 



