62 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



mittee and who signed the report favorable to 

 McCormick, told us afterwards, that he did so 

 very reluctantly ; and being anxious to see them 

 both farther tested, invited them to meet at Tree 

 Hill a few da}^ afterwards. We were present 

 at this second trial for a part of the time, (they 

 cut together, we believe, for a whole day,) and 

 were much delighted with the performance of 

 both. In the absence of either, we should have 

 imagined that the other could not have been 

 equalled. Some twelve or fifteen farmers were 

 present, and as far as we could gather the public 

 sentiment, it was very equally divided between 

 them. Mr. Roane instituted this comparison for 

 the purpose of choosing between the two, and 

 his conclusion may be pretty clearly gathered 

 from the following letter, which we find in the 

 American Farmer: 



"Tree Hill, January 23, 1844. 



" Dear Sir, — I received a few days ago your 

 letter of the 17th instant, on the subject of your 

 reaping machine ; you call my recollection to a 

 trial between it and Mr. McCormick's reaper at 

 Mr. Hutchinson's, in July last, on which occa- 

 sion I ' was one of a committee which gave the 

 preference to Mr. McCormick's machine ;' you 

 also advert to a trial between these rival ma- 

 chines a few days subsequent, at this place, and 

 request to know my impressions after this se- 

 cond trial. I presume from the fact of my hav- 

 ing ordered one of your reapers for the ensuing 

 harvest, that it is your purpose to publish this 

 statement. Averse as I am to having my name 

 in print on this, or any other occasion, 1 cannot 

 with propriety decline a response to your inqui- 

 ry. I had never seen or formed an idea of a 

 reaping machine until I went to Hutchinson's — 

 I was surprised and delighted with the perform- 

 ance of each of them, and fully resolved to own 

 one of them by the next harvest, but their per- 

 formance that day left me in a state of doubt 

 which I should select. The report spoke in 

 terms of high praise of each machine, and 1 

 consented to its award, that on the whole Mr. 

 McCormick's was preferable, merely because 

 being the cheapest, and requiring but two horses, 

 it would best suit the majority of our farmers, 

 who make small crops of wheat on weak land — 

 for I doubted its capacity in heavy grain. After 

 this report was made I heard your complaint 

 that you did not have a fair trial, because being 

 unable to bring into the field your large improved 

 reaper, which was up the river, you were com- 

 pelled to comply with your engagement for the 

 day, with a small and inferior machine, drawn 

 by an indifferent and untutored team. Mr. 

 Hutchinson's wheat was badly rusted, and there- 

 fore light. I had ready for the scythe, a low 



ground field of heavy and well matured grain : 

 partly to expedite my harvest work, and partly 

 to renew the trial, that I might solve my doubts 

 as to the merits of these machines, I succeeded 

 in engaging them to be at Tree Hill on a named 

 day — they both came agreeable to appointment, 

 Mr. McCormick bringing the machine he used 

 at Hutchinson's, and you bringing the one you 

 could not on that occasion bring down the river. 

 The day was fine, and both machines did their 

 best, and had a very fair trial. My doubts were 

 fully removed, and my mind convinced that in 

 the heavy wheat we raise, on our river low 

 grounds, rich bottoms, &c, your machine is su- 

 perior to Mr. McCormick's, of which I still think 

 highly — I accordingly ordered one of yours to 

 be made for the approaching harvest. 



"I wish you all possible success in cutting 

 hemp in the 'Great West.' It must be very 

 desirable to cut that valuable plant instead of 

 pulling it up by the roots, and I cannot doubt 

 that your reaper has ample poiuer for the process. 

 Most respectfully, yours, &c. 



W. H. Roane. 



Mr. Obed Htjssey, Baltimore." 



For our own part, we consider both of these 

 machines admirable in their construction, but 

 certainly each has advantages over the other. 

 McCormick's is cheaper, lighter, of easier draft, 

 and will, we think, cut better in damp wheat or 

 where there is much undergrowth of weeds and 

 other succulent matter. But above all, the 

 greatest recommendation to this machine, is, 

 that it has stood the test of experience, and we 

 have read and heard the most satisfactory testi- 

 monials from some of our best farmers, who 

 have tried it through one or two harvests. On 

 the contrary, as they appeared to us last sum- 

 mer, Hussey's seemed to be stronger, simpler, 

 better made, more compact, and more rapid in 

 execution. The raker, who has a very arduous 

 task with McCormick, has comparatively no- 

 thing to do with Hussey. A drawing and more 

 particular description of each machine, may be 

 found respectively, at pages 12 and 68 of the 

 third volume of the Planter. 



For the Southern Planter. 



STRAW CUTTERS. 



Mr. Botts, — My attention has been called 

 to a communication over your name in the 'Al- 

 bany Cultivator" for January, in which you un- 

 dertake to correct what you suppose to be a 

 misstatement with respect to the fitness of your 

 knife for cutting cornstalks: you say it may 

 answer for the small stalks of the North, but it 



