Trials of Self -binding Reapers at Aighurth. 117 
of the wire together above the hook. When the twist is completed the 
clampiug-fiuger is released, and as the arm starts on its return again the finger 
is thrown entirely open and the bundle is free. This operation will now con- 
tinue to be repeated once in 10 or 15 feet, according to the speed at which 
the binder is geared. When from the thinness of the crop an insufficient 
quantity has accumulated, by means of the treadle (Q) the driver disconnects 
the binder from the harvester devices, and skirts it again when sufficient has 
accumulated, repeating the operation as frequently as the condition of the 
crop may require. He can also elevate and depress the reel at pleasure, as may 
be required by the condition of the crop, and can move the binder laterally by 
means of levers {pp) and shaft (oo), so as to place the band at the proper 
point between the butt and head of the grain, and can also disconnect the 
operative parts of the whole machine from the driving-wheel at pleasure. 
To attempt to give a full and detailed description of the 
mechanism, as laid down in the specification of the patent, 
would occupy more space than I have at my disposal for the 
whole Report. 1 trust, therefore, that the foregoing condensed 
description will suffice to give a clear idea of the principle and 
construction of this ingenious machine. 
The Trials at Aigburth. 
The proposed trial of sheaf-binders for the gold medal offered 
by the Royal Agricultural Society excited general interest 
throughout the country. The desirability of still further dimin- 
ishing the cost of harvest-labour has been impressing itself 
upon the agricultural mind for some time. To the exhibition 
at Liverpool of reapers capable of sheafing and tying up the 
grain as they cut it, a special interest was therefore attached. 
The Royal Agricultural Society, anticipating popular sentiment, 
fulfilled its truest functions when it offered these prizes, and 
completed a great and useful work by carrying out a series of 
trials to test the practical efficiency of the several implements 
entered as capable of accomplishing the object desired. The 
fact of an entry of eight machines at the Show, led to the 
opinion that we were approaching the time when the sheafing 
and tying of grain would be done by mechanical instead of 
manual agency. The opinion has been fully justified by the 
results of the trials. 
The unripe condition of the cereal crops rendered it impos- 
sible to carry out the programme at the time of the Show ; and the 
Stewards, after inspecting the crops that were submitted to them 
by the local committee, adjourned the trials to the 14th of August, 
a fixture changed to the IGth of August. A week's postponement 
would have been a wiser step under the circumstances of the bad 
ripening weather that characterised the season. 
The locality fixed for the trials was Aigburth, a village three 
miles distant from Liverpool. For nearly all the way by two 
