4 BRIEF NAKRATIV1-: OF THE 



Of some half a dozen or more attempts made in Great Britain, and 

 recorded in Loudon's Encyclopedia of Acjriculture, the Edinburg 

 Encyclopedia, and other similar works, all, or nearly all, relied either 

 upon scythes or cutters, with a rotary motion, or vibratincj shears. 

 And although there was " go ahead " about them in one sense of the 

 term, as it was intended for the " cart to go before the horse," none of 

 them appeared to have gained, or certainly not long retained, the con- 

 fidence of the farmers; for at the exhibition of the "World's Fair in 

 London," the whole Kingdom could not raise a Reaping Machine; — a 

 practical implement which was considered worth using and exhibiting. 



That the idea was obsolete there, and had been unsuccessful, is 

 clearly proved by the fact that the English journals and writers of that 

 period, without a single exception, spoke of the American Reapers — 

 after the trials! — as "completely successful"— " taking every one by 

 surprise " — " their reaping machines have astonished our agriculturists" 

 — " few subjects have created a greater sensation in the agricultural 

 world than the recent introduction into the country of the reaping 

 machines " — the " curiosity of the crowd was irrepressible to witness 

 such a novelty, even to stopping the machine, and trampling the grain 

 under foot," &c., &c. — Much more and similar evidence is at hand; but 

 better need not be produced to prove the entire failure of reaping 

 machines in Great Britain, as late as 1851. We would also refer the 

 curious to Rees' Cyclopedia, for a very brief account of what had been 

 effected;— a few paragraphs only are written on reaping machines, but 

 several pages are compiled as to the use of the scythe, sickle or reap 

 hook, and reapingy^r/^. The Doctor refers to Plunknett's Machine by 

 name, as being " somewhat on a new principle, the horse drawing the 

 machine instead of pushing it forward as was the old mode of applying 

 the power." The machine is fully represented in the Farmers' Dic- 

 tionary; and he winds up the account as follows: " But the success 

 with which they have been attended, has hitherto been far from com- 

 plete;" again, " Other machines of this kind have still more lately been 

 invented by other persons [meaning of course his own countrymen] 

 but without answering the purpose in that full and complete manner 

 which is necessary in this sort of work." 



The Doctor undertakes to tell us zvhat is wanted, but fails entirely 

 to inform his readers how to do it. That John Bull had not clone it is 

 clearly established; but Brother Jonathan, the " Live Yankee," as John 

 calls his cousin, has solved the problem; and the solution is so simple, 

 when you know how to do it! that it is marvclously strange no one for 

 centuries had before struck upon the right key. 



Philip Pusey, Plsq., M. P. and F. R. S. — the chief manager of the 

 London Exhibition — admits the failure.-though apparently reluctantly; 

 but the source of his 'information, in writing about the American 

 machines was interested and defective; and when he again writes on 

 this subject he will be better informed. He says: " At the opening of 

 this century it was thought that a successful reaping machine had been 

 invented, and a rewarrl had been voted by Parliament to its author. 

 The machine was employed here and abroad, but from its intricacy, 



