270 Report on the Trials of Reaping Maclrines at Leamington, 
in two broad steel bushes 24 inches apart, these being situated 15 inches behind 
the knifc-bar, while the crank connecting-rod takes hold of the stem of the 
"]"-pi ece ^ inches nearer. In this way the friction is reduced to very low 
limits. The throw of the self-lubricating crank, and consequent travel of the 
knife-bar, is 3 inches; the knife-sections, which may be plain or serrated, are 
of the same breadth ; the fingers also are at 3-inch intervals, and the effective- 
depth of the notches exposed in the knife for cutting, is lj inch. The width 
of cut is 7a feet ; that is, the same breadth per horse as in Messrs. Hornsby's- 
swather ; but the width of the whole machine, out to out, for going through a 
gateway is only 8 feet 9| inches, or 5£ inches wider than the Grantham 
machine. The peculiar form of the over-neck finger is shown in the section 
(Fig. 6), in which e is the finger-bar, and d the knife-bar, with knife-section 
above it. The fingers are made of wrought iron in the centre, with steel 
outside ; thus securing the greatest amount of toughness and strength, with 
sharp cutting edges, to the slots through which the knife-sections shoot. The- 
cut can be set within 4 inches of the ground. 
The reel, driven by a strap, carries six blades, which describe a circle- 
6 feet diameter ; and while in the trial the movement of the blades was a 
little faster than the rate of advance of the machine; a change of speed is 
provided by replacing pinions for accommodating the motion to long or 
short strawed crops. The axis from which both the reel and delivery motions, 
are driven is actuated by a pitch-chain, which can be tightened up when 
requisite by an eccentric provided for the purpose. The cut corn is delivered 
off the sloping board-platform on either side by a traversing chain behind the 
finger-bar, and two traversing india-rubber belts higher up, armed with small 
wood lugs or teeth set at wide intervals, the passage off the platform being 
aided by a clearer-bar or lath, extended sideways and slided out to different 
distances according to the length and condition of stuff to be deposited in 
swathe. The mouth, or space which the swathe has to pass through, is not 
confined in front, and up the slope of the platform it measures 5j feet, with 
an average depth of about 3 feet. 
In the first trial, the Beverley machine, worked with a man 
to drive the horses, in addition to the steersman following' 
(possibly a man and lad would be sufficient in the farmer's 
harvest-field), cut at first a 5-inch to 6-inch stubble, and after- 
wards a 4-inch to 5-inch stubble. The swathe was beautifully 
delivered in every respect ; and the machine was turned end-for- 
end after each course, working always up and down the same 
side of the plot, in turnwrest fashion, delivering in the same 
direction as the lay, of the crop. A man cleared a few yards' 
area at each end for turning. Of course the machine is equally 
well adapted for cutting all round, or on two or three sides of 
a field ; but it can justly claim this exclusive feature, that it 
is independent of scythe-men, seeing that, as exemplified in its 
cutting of roadways and opening out of all the plots for the 
Leamington trials, it may be driven anywhere, in straight lines 
or otherwise, through the standing corn, beginning a field 
without any previous preparation by hand-labour. Taking a 
breadth of 7^ feet, it will also clear a considerably greater 
number of acres per day than can be cut by any other machine 
worked at the same pace. 
