Report, on the Exhibition and Trials of Implements at Leeds. 459 
west. There w<is nothino; iinusnal in tlic crop ; it was generally standin-;, 
and might lie fairly estimated at 30 to 38 bushels, with a full average of 
straw, in a good state as to ripeness for cutting, wliich is material in reaping 
cither by manual or horse power. The Barley crop was in all respects similar, 
except that it had not arrived at an ccpial state of ripeness. The seeds among 
it were a full plant, and of great height in many places, though the crop was a 
moderately fair average* one. 
The trial of the Grass-mowing maehiues being fresh in the recollection of 
the Judges, it was decided to conmience proceedings with Class III., consisting 
of Combined Eeapcrs and Cirass-mowers. In reporting on this department, 
it may suffice to express a doubt whether the object sought by this combina- 
tion will ever be economically attained, — a doubt which the machines tested 
on this occasion only confirmed ; the work done by them as Reapers being so 
unsatisfactory, that we I'elt bound to withhold the Prize. 
Attention was then directed to the Keapers in Class II., with manual deli- 
very. The competitors were Messrs. Kearsley ; Picksley, Sims, and Co. ; 
Spencer, Wray, and Son ; Cuthbert,(two-horse), Cuthbert (one-horse), Burgess 
and Key; Beckwith; Sawney; and Coates. 
After a preliminary trial, five machines were selected to be further tested ; 
and these were again reduced, on closer investigation, to two — those of 
Messrs. Picksley and Sims, and the Messrs. Cuthbert. The final struggle 
lay between these two, and the result was an award of 6?. to the machine of 
Picksley and Sims ; and of 4Z. to that of Messrs. Cuthbert. 
Messrs. Picksley and Sims' Reaper is remarkably ingenious, rery simple in 
its working parts, aud has the great recommendation of requiring compara- 
tively little horse power in proportion to the work done. The horses attached 
to it walked at a regular working speed, and rvonld have kept on contimiously 
throncjhout the day without distress. There is this to be said, however, of all 
machines made for manual delivery, that if they meet with a full crop of com, 
they can only take a proportionately reduced width, and under any circum- 
stances the work for the attendant who throws off the sheaf is most laborious. 
Practice may do something to mitigate this, but after all it will be very hard 
work. These machines will perhaps be found most serviceable on ridge-and- 
furrow land, and on occupations where the inclosures are small, and the 
advantages derived from self-delivery are less ; for such use they deserve our 
attention. 
The machine of Messrs. Cuthbert is well constructed, of great strength and 
durability, and does its work exceedingly well, with a perfect level cut. It is 
also simple in its working parts and easy of adjustment ; the strain upon the 
horses, however, is such as could not be supported continuously, assuming the 
crop to be good, and the professed width to be taken ; nor could the attendant 
bear up under the excessive fatigue required to clear the machine, even were 
he to resort to makiiig the sheaves much larger than they ought to be. 
It should always be borne in mind that the question is not which implement 
can do the most in one hom, but which will have accomplished the most at the 
end of a working day of ten hours with the least expenditure of power. Every 
l^ractical farmer who is alive to the cost of maintaining a team of draught 
horses in efficient working order, will undoubtedly be guided by this principle 
in maldng his selection. 
The business of the Meeting was brought to a conclusion by the trial of the 
machines in Class I., viz. : 'For Reapers with self-acting delivery. In this 
Class there were eight competitors ; The Trustees of W. Crosskill with a 
three-horse implement ; Messrs. Burgess and Key's two-horse ; Cranston's 
two-horse ; Lord Kinnaird, Messrs. Creaser, Kearsley, Prentice, and Hellard, 
with one-horse machines. 
VOL. XXII. 2 I 
