78 
Report on the Trials of Sheaf -Binders 
The following machines were exhibited at Bristol : — 
Wire Binders, 
No. 2853. W. A. Wood. 
No. 2879. McCormick's (Waite, Burnell & Co.). 
No. 2925. Osborn & Co. 
No. 181. J. and F. Howard. 
String Binders. 
No. 2915. Johnston Harvester Company. 
No. 2930. Hetherington & Co. 
No. 2851. H. J. H. King. 
Melville Thompson Neale's Machine, entered in the Catalogue, 
did not reach the Showground until the Tuesday, and was then 
so manifestly incomplete, that it was decided that no further 
notice should be taken of it. Inasmuch as the first three 
Machines — i. e. Wood's, McCormick's, and Osborne's Reapers — 
have already been fully described in the pages of the ' Journal,' 
I only propose giving such details as relate to improvements 
recently introduced, or which elucidate the mechanism. For the 
somewhat detailed accounts of the machines, which appear for the 
first time, I am principally indebted to Mr. Anderson, the Society's 
Engineer, in whose company the examinations were made. 
W. A. Wood (2853). — This machine has been so fully de- 
scribed in my Report of Philadelphia, and again last year by 
the late Mr. Jno. Hannam, that a lengthened description is 
unnecessary, and would be tedious. After the trials at Aigburth, 
certain alterations were suggested by the Judges, especially as 
regards the divider-board and the capacity of the platform. 
These have been attended to, and the result is that the machine is 
now more suitable for an English crop than before. The knife, 
which is serrated, clears about 5 ft., the depth of the endless 
web is also 5 ft. : this machine can therefore cut grain 5 ft. high. 
The knife being driven by pitman and connecting-rod in the 
ordinary way, the straw can be sheared close to the ground. 
I am able, through the courtesy of Col. Griffin, Mr. Wood's 
leading representative in England, to give drawings and details 
of the binding mechanism, which have not appeared before, 
and which cannot fail to prove interesting ; but, before doing so, 
I shall briefly notice the other improvements that have been 
made since 1877. The binding platform, which slides on a 
tram Ijoth above and below, has a range of 18 in., and is now 
controllable by means of a leverage worked by the driver. The 
gear can now be thrown in and out by the driver, without leaving 
iiis seat. The frame is raised by means of a chain and rack, 
