The farmers shonid be proud that so 

 many excellent machines are offered to 

 them, and the competition growing oat of 

 it among different makers, will also tend to 

 their advantage. 



The Committee proceeded to make up the 

 award and first balloted on the Self-rakers. 

 The Atkins Reaper having five votes and 

 Seymour & Morgan's two. The next vote 

 was between Rngg and Manny, when Rugg's 

 machine received seven votes. The next 

 vote was, on the question, all thing!) con* 

 sidered, which is the best Reaper. On this 

 Ru^g had five and Atkins, two. 



We cannot but look upon this trial as of 

 more practical importance than the late 

 trial at Salem. The same number of 

 machines were used ; the work in all respects 

 was superior. The Committee went at 

 their woik with system and performed their 

 duties with a staid impartiality that is high- 

 ly creditable. ^ 



In making"^ this Report the Committee 

 are not responsible for the language or 

 opinions offered, only so far as their action 

 is indicated. We have taken the liberty to 

 make it more lengthy than was perhaps 

 necessary for a trial Report, but looking 

 upon this trial as one rather of equity than 

 than of law, we have entered more largely 

 than we shonid otherwise have done in the 

 premises. 



We were directed by the Committee to 

 hand this Report to the AgricuUural Press, 

 published at West TJrbana, and that through 

 it the local papers, friendly to the cause of 

 agricultural progress, be requested to give 

 it a place in their columns. 



All of which on behalf of the Commit- 

 tee, we respectfully submit to the reading 

 public, and that power behind the throne 

 through whom Reaper builders make or lose 

 a fortune. M. L. DUNLAP, Scc'ry. 



July 23, 1857. 

 To-day, in company with Mr, Chase, Ed- 

 itor of the Agricultural Press published in 

 West TJrbana, and J. N. Boutwell, Agent 

 for Manny's Reaper, we examined several 

 machines where they were at work in the 

 field in the ordinary condition, as used by 

 the farmer. No notice was given, and no 

 preparation of the machines could be had 

 to better fit them for the test. Frist, we 

 tried the draft of the Grain and Grass Har- 

 vester, made by Messrs. Sylla & Adams, 

 of Elgin, Kane county, which is owned by 

 us. This machine is novel in its construc- 

 tion, as it is so arranged that the binders 

 Cthree of them) ride on the machine, the 



raker raking them alternately a hnndle-. 

 each, while a platform extending back top 

 ceives the bundles, until about a dozen acr 

 cumulates when by pushing a lever the plati- 

 form cants down letting the bundle^ alide 

 off, and a spring then brings it back in 

 place. It was cutting in heavy wheat, cut- 

 ting five feet,and tequired four hutidrea and 

 seventy-five ponnds. Three men haye nd 

 difficulty in binding; nearly or quite the | 

 labor of one hand is saved in shocking* If 

 this machine will not do as much work aOr 

 some others, [t hat the quality of sating' 

 more grain, and doing the work bettel:,! 

 than any other machine. We are not aVrare 

 that any of these machines are now mad$: 

 or sold; this and one in Coles county are 

 the only ones of the kind that have found 

 their way into this section of the country.' 



The next was an Atkin's machine on the 

 farm of John Walkington, adjoining the 

 TJrbana Nursery. This was working with 

 three horses, and Mr. W. says cutting 13 

 to 15 acres per day. The draft wa8.450' 

 lbs. This machine was doing excellent 

 work in heavy wheat, that will probably^ 

 turn thirty bushels to the acre. We niext 

 went to the fields of Messrs. Carle and 

 Thomas, in which is a thousand acres in one 

 field, about dozen machines were cutting ia 

 this field, the first of which we tried was the 

 Urbana Reaper, made by Wilson & Rob- 

 inson. The measure inside the guards it 

 five feet nine inches, draft 316 pounds in 

 wheat of twenty bushels per acre, does ex- 

 cellent work and runs easy. 



A hand raking reaper, of Seymour & 

 Morgan's Patent was tried, cutting inside 

 of guards, six feet, with a draft of 325 

 pounds, doing the work to a charm. Thd 

 raking is well done, and stubble quite credit- 

 able. 



A two horse machine of Manny's owned 

 by Mr. Archer, measuring inside of gaards 



feet,, required 450 pounds. This Was 



a last year's machine, and not in the be^t 

 order. Another machine, of same si^, 

 owned by E. Fierce, of this year's make, 

 worked 375 pounds, and a four horse 

 Manny machine of five feet five inches* 

 draws 425 pounds; all of these machines, 

 did good work, satisfactory to the owners, 

 The Seymour & Morgan patent works re^ 

 markably easy, and its owner, Mr. Carie, 

 was delighted with it. All of these nuft'! 

 chines were drawn by four horses or mnleis, 

 and no farmer here thinks of putting 09 l^^f , 

 than three or four horses, even on the^^ 

 machines. It is probable that spring Whieat 

 cuts easier than winter whest^. trii^4iii^- 



