INVENTION (JF KliAPING MACHINES. 37 



[From the Richmond Planter.] 

 HUSSEY'S AND IVl'CORMICK'S REAPERS. 



It is very painful to be com[)elled to inflict a private injury in the 

 discharc^e of a public dut)-; upon a particular .system of cultivation we 

 can talk and write without restraint; but when we are called on to dis- 

 cuss the merits of an invention, upon which the fortunes of the origi- 

 nator may absolutely depend, it is a much more responsible and 

 delicate office. We are aware, too, that in introducing a subject of the 

 kind, we are opening the floodgates of a controversy that is often hard 

 to close; we have had the strongest evidence of that fact in the con- 

 troversy that once occurred in this paper between Messrs. M'Cormick 

 and Hussey, and yet it is to the relative merits of the reaping machines 

 of these two gentlemen, that we are compelled again to draw the 

 public attention. Probably not less than fifteen thousand dollars has 

 been spent in Virginia this summer for reaping machines, and it 

 becomes a subject of great importance to the wheat growing com- 

 munity at least, to ascertain how such a sum is annually to be dispensed 

 to the greatest advantage. We shall express no opinion ourself in the 

 discussion which must necessarily follow the introduction of this sub- 

 ject, and we would greatly prefer that neither of the gentlemen more 

 particularly interested in the subject would appear in our columns. 

 We will publish statements of facts for either, provided they are made 

 over responsible names, and are short and perminent. As one of these 

 facts we feel bound to state, that we acted this year as the agent for 

 M'Cormick's machine, and we have heard great complaint of the 

 manner in which it was gotten up; but it is but fair also to state, that 

 we believe Mr. M'Cormick himself has been superintending the manu- 

 facture of his machine in the State of N. York, and that probably his 

 work has not been as well done as it would have been could lie have 

 seen to it in person. The following communication is altogether in favor 

 of Hussey's machine: 



" I have had in operation on my plantation this year both Hussey's 

 and M'Cormick's reapers. — Now, as you have asked me to furnish the 

 "Planter" with the result of my own experience and opinion as to the 

 comparative merit of the two machines, it is now at your service. I 

 have had them both in operation (as the weather would permit,) for the 

 last fortnight, and have cut with the two rather upwards of two 

 hundred acres of wheat. Both machines have been, I think ver\- fairlx- 

 tested in all qualities of grain, from wheat five feet and more in height, 

 both standing up. and lodged and tangled, and averaging, as is sup- 

 posed, from thirty and forty bushels, down to light thin wheat, not 

 averaging more than four bushels, (being some galled hills.) and I am 

 candidly ■s.WiX decidedly oi o^^'xmow that Hussey's machine \<< vastly supe- 

 rior. I deem it superior, not only in the execution of its work, but in 

 the durability of the machine. So well pleased am I with its perform- 

 ance, that I have ordered another machine of Hussey's for my next 



44G154 



