128 
Report on Implements at Liverpool, and on 
was considerable, while the cutting process was accomplished 
in a most successful manner. The amount of manual help 
required, although it effected the work that was to be com- 
pleted, and thus showed the value of the machine, even under 
difficult circumstances with proper management, was not such 
as could be taken into account of a trial where the object was to 
produce an efficient reaper and sheaf-binder ; still it determined 
the relative merits of the several machines under the circum- 
stances, but required an excessive amount of attention and skill, 
as well as two extra attendants to keep it going. At this 
time McCormick had been cutting away at the next plot, which 
the Judges had. permitted him to enter upon, owing to the bad 
start which he had made in his previous attempt. 
This crop was standing, and admirably adapted for cutting 
by reaper, and upon it he certainly made very good work as 
regards everything, except length of stubble. Once or twice 
the wire broke, but the stoppages were few and unimportant. 
Extra assistance, however, was not able to be done without. 
For the test-trial it now fell to McCormick's lot to have the 
good fortune to be fixed on the very lightest piece of corn in the 
field, with about 5^ quarters per acre, and, as I have previously 
stated, with every straw as yellow as a guinea and as stiff as a 
reed. In the half acre allotted to McCormick the work was 
done in rather better style, as the corn was lighter, and the 
machine managed to quit the sheaves, which were made very 
small, without any assistance. Properly speaking, however, the 
machine has no delivery, there being no motion given to the 
sheaf after it is bound, except what it derives from the push of 
the succeeding sheaf, when it simply drops off the platform, 
two frequently falling together under the best of circumstances. 
The time the work was done in was satisfactory, as the machine 
cut at a rapid pace. Though a full width was not taken, this, 
of course, lessened the bulk on the platform and on the sh'eafing- 
board. The time of completing the half-acre was 34^ minutes. 
W. A. Wood's machine had also a very favourable plot for 
cutting; it was only very slightly larger in bulk of straw than 
that done by McCormick. With this crop it required no extra 
assistance at the delivery, the sheaf being impelled three or four 
yards from the standing corn with great speed, exactly in the 
same manner as a knur from a spell. Whether this powerful 
action will shake out any grain when the corn is very ripe is a 
moot point which I leave. Anyhow, Mr. Wood may afford to 
reduce the power of the spring to some extent, and still leave 
the machine quite efficient in ripe corn. There is no use in 
retaining this excessive " throw," inasmuch as it was seen in the 
wheat-trials to be incapable of dealing with corn in a very raw 
