70 Report on Sheaf-Binding Machinery at Shrewsbury. 
shaking the binder, and a number of sheaves were unbound. So far as the trial, 
before the breakage occurred, permitted us to form au opinion, we considered 
tliere was a want of room for clearing the sheaf after it was tied. A large 
proportion of the sheaves dragged until the ne.xt was nearly ready to be 
delivered. We also thought that tliere was some waste of corn by shedding, 
caused by the grain being rubbed between the platform and the elevator. The 
draught also appeared to be heavy. 
Plot 2. Samuehon, No. 255. — This plot had a gravel hole in the centre, 
with the sides sloped in so that it could be cultivated and cropped. The 
machine got well over this difficultj', and, on the whole, made beautiful work ; 
but had many casualties during its progress. The string broke several times, 
and much time was lost in threading the needle. The sto]3pages occupied 
ITj minutes; 19 sheaves untied, and 6 small sheaves or " babies." Time, 
1 hour 55 minutes. 
Plot 4. Kearsley, No. 381. — This machine had a good plot and made a 
good cut, but the elevating and sheafing left something to be desired. Three 
chokes occurred, when several armfuls had to be taken owt each time by hand 
to clear the elevator. The attendant was generally rendering assistance to the 
elevator. A large number of " baby " sheaves were also made ; this was 
said to be caused by the nut upon the tension string being too slack on the 
thread of the bolt. There were 19 unbound sheaves. Time, 1 hour 25 minutes. 
A pair of sharp-stepping horses appeared to be well pumped out when they 
Lad finished their task. 
Plot 6. McCormick, No. 216. — This machine has a cut of 6 feet, and 
generally made -full width amongst standing corn, but did not make good 
work in heavy and laid pieces, as will be seen from the record of twins. A 
narrow strip was left to finish, in catting which the platform-web choked, 
caused by the thin line of grain falling in between the platform-web and the 
elevator-web, and, following round the former, stuck between it and the base 
of the platform. There were 4 stoppages, occupying 6 minutes 10 seconds ; 
120 twins, and 6 sheaves untied. Time, 1 hour 29 minutes. 
Plot 8. Hornshy, No. 4570. — The corn-divider on the oft' shoe did not do its 
work perfectly, a thin line of uncut straw was left in each track. A stop was 
caused by the canvases fouling with a small stone at their junction. Two 
additional stops were caused by the clicking of the elevator. The Steward 
reported 21 twins, 3 sheaves unbound, besides half a sheaf of loose corn. 
Plot 10. Wood, No. 407. — On a portion of this plot the grain was shorter 
in the straw ; the sheaves on that part were bound too near the grain end of 
the sheaf, and approached in appearance to what are known iu the North of 
England as " Gatings." A stop of 7| minutes was said to bo cadsed by 
]iicking up a stone ; 53 twins and 4 trijilets were reported ; 1 sheaf was 
unbound. Time, 1 hour 24 minutes. 
Plot 12. Hoivard, No. 47. — Left a good stubble; a stop of 1 minute was 
required to straighten the inside divider. A second stop of 55 seconds was 
required to clear a stone out of the fmgcr-])late ; and a third stop of 1 minute 
to alter a spring. Twelve sheaves were untied, but there is no record of twins 
or babies. Time, 1 hour 23^ minutes. 
In drawing conclusions from these records of work, it is only 
fair to take into account the possibility of some of the enume- 
rators having a keener eye for " twins" than others. 
While I am endeavouring to describe as clearly as I possibly 
can the work done by each machine, I am compelled to state 
that there are surrounding circumstances connected with that 
