ai the Gloucester Meeting, 1853. 



367 



is required principally to overcome the friction of the knives. 

 This friction is unnecessary, and a more simple knife may be 

 introduced, which will render the machine exceedingly effective. 



The machine invented by Mac Cormick, and exhibited by 

 Burgess and Kej', cuts crops that are not much laid very well ; 

 the draught to the horses is lighter than in any other machine 

 capable of doing an equal quantity of work, and the knife is very 

 cheap, simple, durable, and free from choking. 



The machine was not well made, could not cut laid corn well, 

 required the work to be begun by the scythe, and the mode of 

 attaching the horses to the side of the machine is very objection- 

 able, causing them much more strain and fatigue than would 

 otherwise be experienced. 



The machine invented by Hussey, and exhibited by Dray and 

 Co., was well made, cut standing corn well, and the mode of 

 assisting the delivery of the sheaf was good, but many may 

 object to the cut corn being left on the back of the machine. 

 The draught to the horses was rather severe, occasioned princi- 

 pally by their being attached to one side of the machine, and out 

 of the direct line of draught. The machine would not cut laid 

 corn, and the knives choked on several occasions. 



From a careful inquiry into the construction of each machine, 

 I was led to believe that a judicious combination of some of the 

 parts of two or more of them would produce a truly useful 

 implement. 



Bell's mode of attaching the horses to the machine, and deli- 

 vering the cut corn, appeared to be the best, but the friction of 

 the knives was its drawback, and the expense of them (11/.) was 

 also objectionable. 



Mac Cormick's knife was simple, cut all that came before it, 

 did not choke, and its first cost (135.) is surely not its least 

 recommendation. 



Hence it appeared to me, that to take Mac CormicVs knife, 

 and apply it to Bell's machine, instead of the shear-like knives 

 he used, would be an important step gained, and the machine 

 would be cheaper, lighter, and jnore effective. 



Possessing these ideas, I spoke to Crosskill and to Burgess on 

 the matter, and entreated them to make their interests mutual, 

 and to manufacture such a machine as I had described. They 

 appeared to fall in with the idea, and promised to take the 

 matter into consideration. I have therefore great hopes that a 

 useful implement will arise from the experiments at Pusey. 



And, in this place, I cannot but remark how deeply the Royal 

 Agricultural Society, and the agriculturists in general, are in- 

 debted to Mr. Pusey for the great facility he afforded the judges 

 for practically testing the merits of this important implement. 



