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X. — On Mr. M'Cormick^s Reapijig-machine, 

 By Ph. Pusey, M.P. 



Although the Report on Agricultural Implements is not yet 

 drawn up for the Royal Commission, still the new American 

 Reaper is so important to farmers, that having, with Mr. Miles 

 and Professor Hlubach, myself tried it for the Council medal, 

 I venture to communicate to the Royal Agricultural Society a 

 very brief account of that trial. 



The machine, drawn by two horses, and carrying two men, a 

 driver and a raker, cut the wheat about eight inches from the 

 ground with the utmost regularity.* The horses found the work 

 light, though the machine was cutting at the rate of acre per 

 hour, making 15 acres per day of 10 hours. The raker, stand- 

 ing behind the driver to rake the cut wheat from the platform, 

 certainly had to exert himself ; but it is obvious that he and the 

 driver, who has only to sit on the dicky, might very well ex- 

 change places from time to time. As one cannot put a high price 

 on the labour of farm-horses at such a time, it is plain that a great 

 saving must be effected by this machine, and every farmer can 

 calculate it for himself, as he will also see the advantag^e of 

 being rendered independent of the arrival of strangers to get in 

 his corn, who cannot always be found. This trial was witnessed 

 by many farmers, and no fault was found with the work. The 

 land, I should say, however, being stock land, is even ; where 

 ridges and water-furrows exist, some difficulties seem to arise. 

 But, on this level land, it was wonderful to see a new implement 

 working so smoothly, so truly, and in such a masterly manner. 

 The fact is, however, that it is not an untried implement. 

 Though new in this country, it has been used for some years in 

 America, where experience has enabled the inventor to correct 

 in successive seasons the defects invariably found in new imple 

 xnents. It is certainly strange that we should not have had it 

 over before, nor indeed should we have it now, but for the Great 

 Exhibition, to whose royal originator the English farmer is clearly 

 indebted for the introduction of the most important addition to 

 farming machinery that has been invented since the threshing- 

 machine first took the place of the flail. 



Pusey, August 20, 1851. 



* Mr. M'Cormick informed us that, by a slight change of construction, he lias 

 made the implement cut two inches nearer the ground. 



