104 
Report on the Trials of Sheaf-Binders 
at intervals of about 15 feet, and left with great regularity. 
There is a manifest advantage in the automatic gear being so 
arranged as to suit ordinary crops, the interference of the driver, 
by means of his foot-leverage, being only necessarv when the crop 
varies in different parts, or is altogether so light that greater 
intervals are required. Both Wood's and Osborne's machines 
are equally automatic and controllable, but, unless the crop were 
extraordinarily heavy, the action is too rapid, and the result 
would be sheaves too small for practical manipulation. 
The work described occupied the morning of Tuesday, and 
after luncheon, or as soon as the necessary arrangements could 
be effected, a move was made to Mr. Bishop's field of oats, of 
which some 6 or 7 acres on somewhat sidling ground was 
fortunately standing, and when set out formed, as has been stated, 
a most valuable test of the capability of the machines to deal 
with average English crops. It was decided to start the machine 
that first reached the ground, and let the others follow, thus in- 
suring as far as possible to each similar conditions as to crop, «Scc. 
The weather was very threatening, heavy banks of thundery- 
looking clouds appeared likely to discharge their contents, and 
consequently no unnecessary delay took place. W. A. Wood's 
machine was the first to charge into the heavy damp corn, and 
very pluckily the attendants faced the difficulty, and, taking all 
things into consideration, very successfully was it accomplished. 
The horses were driven at a moderate pace, consequently, not- 
withstanding the heavy and damp state of the straw, only two 
breakages occurred. More than once the canvas of the platform 
had to be tightened. The attendants, realising their difficulties, 
seldom took more than half the cut of which the knife was 
capable, and even with this reduced area they had no easy task 
to keep the needle-point from clogging, nor were they by any 
means sorry when the order was given to stop. It should be 
stated, however, that the first few rounds in the field (being close 
to hedges on two sides) undoubtedly gave the most troublesome 
bit of work in the trials, and the Judges were quite aware of the 
difficulties here encountered, and gave the machine full credit 
for them. 
McCormick got to work about half an hour later, and the 
superiority of the machine was incontestable. — Taking a lull cut, 
the sheaves were delivered with regularity and without any 
assistance ; as before, there was no scatter, and the work was 
admirably done. During the second round the knife clogged 
and the wire broke once. Previous tests were fully confirmed. 
Osborne and Co. were last in the field, and first to stop, as it 
was found impossible to deliver the tangled long grain ; and, 
after a plucky attempt, the machine came to grief and was with- 
