Trials of Self-binding Reapers at Aighurtli. 119 
wide alleys, despite the exertions of the police, to whom I must 
bear my most willing acknowledgment of the admirable manner 
in which they kept order. In no single instance was there a 
crush at particular points to get near the machines, or the 
slightest obstacle offered to the comfortable performance of their 
duties by the Judges. As the line of competitors advanced, it 
was found that there were only three in the field, and that these 
were the Amei;ican machines belonging to McCormick, D. M. 
Osborne, and Walter A. Wood, which I have already described. 
The above is the order of entry in the Catalogue, but in all 
;he competitive trials they drew lots for their places. Having 
waited for the weather so long, on the order being given to start 
not a moment's delay took place. No. 1, McCormick, drew No. 3 
as his trial-plot ; No. 2, D. M. Osborne, drew plot No. 1 ; and 
No. 3, Walter A. Wood, drew plot No. 2. The preliminary 
trial just alluded to consisted in sending the whole of the 
machines round another plot not required for the main trials. 
The crop upon this was heavier than that of the numbered plots, 
was considerably twisted, and was consequently exceptionally 
damp. The crop here was of about 33 bushels per acre, while 
that on the measured plots varied from 24 to 27 bushels per acre. 
Of the preliminary work I may remark, that it exhibited the 
incapacity of all the machines, as will be seen from further 
details, to cut heavy corn when laid down, especially if the same 
be unripe and wet ; but as heavy corn is never cut in practice 
either unripe or wet, this incapacity of the machines to contend 
with such circumstances did not diminish the interest in the 
further trials, which the more favourable aspect of the weather 
now rendered it likely would take place. McCormick first 
commenced to go round the plot. The noticeable features in 
this machine, when " stripped for fight," were the strength and 
the weight of the implement ; the great number of shafts, 
pinions, and wheels indicating a heavy draught, and the tact 
with which the clever conductor had striven to reduce this 
objection in practice, by providing a yoke of team-horses of the 
most wonderful shape and size. He did not, however, get once 
round the tract before he was in difficulties. Where the corn 
was heavy the heads fell over the board, and the supply of cut 
grain was not continuous ; and, when it was continuous, it stuck 
in the sheaf-binder, the power to move it out of the way of the 
succeeding sheaf being inadequate, and there being not only an 
extra weight in each sheaf, but the straw-fibres had no elasticity. 
Three or four bound sheaves consequently became entangled as 
soon as ever the machine cut its full width and at its normal 
pace. Although the strength of the horses appeared to be 
inexhaustible, their tempers were unable to bear the strain put 
upon them by the frequent stoppages of the machine. With a 
