648 



Appendix to Implement Report. 



work when the com is either upright or leaning towards it, and if 

 Hussey's were not intended to do more than this there would be no 

 impediment in the way of his delivering the corn at the side ; in fact 

 he has an additional board to put on for this purpose. Mr. Hussey, 

 however, aims at cutting corn in almost every position, and for this 

 purpose he employs a rake of pecuHar form, which is used by the man 

 on the machine to raise the corn when laid in such a position that the 

 machine would be liable to pass over it, and, as has been already shown, 

 when once between the knives it is sure of being cut. This rake, though 

 adapted for the double purpose of raising the corn to the knife and deliver- 

 ing it at the back, could not be used for delivery at the side. If, there- 

 fore, it be wished to retain the power of raising with the rake such corn as 

 is twisted about or laid in an awkward position, and also to have the corn 

 delivered at the side, it would be necessary to have two men on the ma- 

 chine, each provided with a rake for his own peculiar work. As this causes 

 some additional expense, it becomes necessary to inquire whether the 

 advantages contemplated by this airangement are of sufficient importance 

 to justify it. On this point there will probably be some difference of 

 opinion. Mr. Fawcitt, who worked the machine on his farm for a week 

 or ten days, found no inconvenience from the delivery behind, but in those 

 parts of the country where barley and oats are not considered worth tying 

 up, but are carted and stacked like hay or straw, it would be quite neces- 

 sary to have those crops at least delivered at the side. This may be done 

 without an additional hand, if the rake be dispensed with which lifts and 

 gathers the corn to the knives. 



The final question, therefore, to decide is, what advantage is obtained 

 by this lifting process. Here again some difference of opinion may be 

 anticipated. Those who grow light crops of corn would probably derive 

 little benefit from it except in unusually stormy seasons; but those who 

 are fortunate enough to have heavy ones, know that it is unusual to have 

 their corn either wholly standing or uniformly leaning one way, but that 

 patches of greater or less extent, according to the season, are to be met 

 with where the corn may be said to be laid in all directions. These 

 patches it would be highly inconvenient to leave uncut, as it would neces- 

 sitate making circuits round patches of all shapes and sizes, which would 

 militate greatly against that regularity and despatch which is so essential 

 in a harvest-field. It would be" equally disagreeable to pass over these 

 patches, cutting some of the corn, taking off the heads of more, and 

 trampling the remainder under foot. It is therefore clear that those who 

 grow good crops would employ the scythe in preference to the reaping- 

 machine, unless it were capable of coping with difficulties of this kind. 

 There are doubtless cases where corn is laid so flat that no machine could 

 be expected to cut it, and where even skilful mowers could not avoid 

 making great waste, but under ordinary circumstances, on arriving at a 

 patch of laid and twisted corn, Hussey's rake, properly applied, raises the 

 corn sufficiently to enable the knives to lay hold of it. In this respect the 

 plan adopted by Hussey is superior to that of M'Cormick, as when corn is 

 much laid the fanners of the latter machine do not touch it, and yet from 

 their position they prevent the rake being used. On the whole, Hussey's 

 machine seems best adapted to cut corn under a variety of circumstances, 

 or, in ordinary phraseology, to take it as it comes. It must, however, be 

 left for further experience to decide whether each machine may not 

 have its own peculiar excellencies, and consequently its own sphere of 

 usefulness. 



H. S. Thompson. 



Moat Hall, October 28. 



