120 
Report on Implements at Liverpool, and on 
pair of fresh horses McCormick did better, especially whea 
supplied with an extra man to take off the sheaves and to 
prevent them from becoming entangled with each other, and 
when the laid portions were taken up by scythe-men. 
Walter A. Wood's representative nest came forward and 
speedily overtook his competitor, with a pair of the lightest 
horses I have ever seen in harness, except in an Irish car in the 
city of Cork, or in a London milk-cart. What the colossal 
horses of McCormick could not accomplish, it seemed ridiculous 
to expect from a pair of ponies, not even good thoroughbred 
weeds. This idea so impressed me, that I could not resist asking 
the polished conductor if he would not change his team in like 
manner as McCormick had done. With that naivete which the 
men of the Eastern States of America know how to assume, he 
replied, " I think. Sir, I had better do as he has done — give them 
a trial." The look accompanying this told me at once that my 
pity was misplaced. 
When I saw the machine begin work, I was at once satisfied 
of my own incompetence to give advice to the driver on the 
conduct of his machine. Light and elegant in construction, 
W. A. Wood's machine catches the eye immediately ; in this 
case it startled public opinion by the superior manner in which 
it cut and bound the heavy damp corn, when assisted by a man 
to remove the sheaves and to take up the twisted portions. The 
delivery power of this machine is considerable, and indeed the 
question will have to be discussed as to whether it may not be 
diminished with advantage. Still, in this case, it could not 
throw off sheaves weighing 20 lbs., instead of 7 or 10 lbs., 
always in sufficient time to prevent the outside sheaf being 
caught by the binding wire of the succeeding sheaf, and thus 
forming a nucleus for a lump which speedily stopped the binding 
gear. 
D. M. Osborne's machine, the last of the trio, came forward 
with as many friends as either of its opponents. It is an original 
invention, perfect in most of its points, and moderate in its size 
and weiglit. It went round with comparatively few stoppages, 
and excelled McCormick and equalled Wood in the quality ol 
its work. Its delivery power, acting with a crane-neck motion, 
is not as powerful as Wood's swan-neck motion, both of which 
carried the wires round the bundles. The crane-neck obtains 
its initiatory power from the machinery fixed on the left side of 
the machine, while tliat of Mr. Wood's derives its motion from 
a central shaft. There is something taking to the eye of the 
practical man in the new movement of D. M. Osborne, which 
will excite discussion ; but this I deem futile. His own prac- 
tical tests during the present year will show its capabilities fully. 
Considering that no machines ever were constructed to cut 
