Report on Sheaf-Binding Machinery at Shrewsbury. 69 
in this field but what came under the careful supervision of at 
least one of their number. 
Plot 1. Wood, No. 409. — Low cut : finger-plate scratchiag ground. Second 
round, string broke. Sheaves too big, string broke again in the fourth round. 
Changed the string, adjusted pacl^er and made smaller sheaves. The sheaves 
were fan-shaped and delivered with the knot up, the kicker not turning the 
sheaf over. This machine had frequent stoppages ; the string evidently did 
not run well ; time occupied in adjustments, 8 minutes 15 seconds. There 
"were also a great number of loose sheaves and some small ones. Time, 1 
hour 34 1 minutes. 
Plot 3. Hornsby, No. 4568. — The binding and delivery of this machine 
were throughout good ; the cut over a laid portion was only indifferent, little 
more than the heads being taken off, and on this piece pairs were given off ; 
eight sheaves in all were untied. Four stops, occupying 5 minutes, 8 couplets, 
1 triplet, 6 pieces of loose. Time, 1 hour 28 minutes. 
Plot 5. McConnick, No. 217. — A stop of 50 seconds was caused in the 
first round by the chains of the horses being too long. This machine oscil- 
lated, which caused the cut to appear somewhat uneven ; 7 stoppages occurred, 
taking in all 2 minutes 50 seconds ; 7 loose sheaves, and several twin 
dehveries. Time, 1 hour 48J minutes. It may be only fair to state that the 
horses travelled very slowly. 
Plot 7. Howard, No. 45. — This machine made an even cut and toot up 
laid pieces well, with a regular deUvery and an even-sized sheaf. The 
separator on the off-shoe did not do its work well — many heads were drawn 
out, which in the next round were cut off and left on the ground ; two stops 
occurred, each I5 minutes, one for a stone in the fingers and another for a 
choke on the platform. 14 unbound sheaves ; 26 slightly coupled, 4 loose bits 
not in baud. Time, 1 hour 21j minutes. 
Plot 9. Hornshy, No. 4569. — This machine cut over the laid straw, 
but made good sheafing and binding where the lie of the crop was to the 
machine. The delivery where the lie was from the machine was not so good, 
the sheaves coming off in couplets and triplets, with loose straw between ; 
work not so sood as No. 4568. 
Plot 11. McConnick, No. 215. — The platform apron of this machine can 
be tightened or slackened by a ratchet placed at the off-corner of the platform, 
which is a convenient arrangement. A stop took place during the first time 
down in a piece of laid corn ; previous to the stoppage a deal of loose unbound 
corn had been delivered, and the cut was only moderate ; when the grain was 
swayed away from the machine the work was not good, though where the 
com stood up well, neat work was executed. 
Plot 13. Hoiuard, No. 49. — This plot was on the south side of the field 
and the cut lay across the ridges : saving the furrows, it was quite level, the 
crop very even and presenting no difficulties. The work done throughout 
was good ; there were no stoppages, and no twins, but there were 10 unbound 
sheaves. Time, 1 hour 26 minutes. 
Plot 14. Samuelson, No. 256. — " Low delivery." This machine worked in 
the adjoining plot to No. 49, just described, and was placed in precisely 
similar circumstances. Considerable interest was exhibited in the working of 
this machine, which was so unlike in appearance and character to the whole of 
its rivals. It was therefore a matter of universal regret, when an unfortunate 
breakage in the seventh round suspended operations. In crossing a furrow 
the packer cam broke, and the frame was also sprung to some extent. The 
fractured part was repaired and work was resumed next day, but the machine 
had evidently got a strain, as a very narrow width had to be cut to prevent 
