REAPING MACHINE. 
1 73 
this description, will give a perfect notion of this machine, 
in which I have only made some very slight alterations which 
I thought necessary. 
Description of the Design, Fig. 5 . Plate IK. 
Fig. 1. A. B. a box in the shape of a kneading trough. Reference to 
mounted obliquely on the frame of the carriage, so that the tlie en § ray i I1 g* 
driver may incline it more or less by means of the assist- 
ance of the two long poles CD, and EF. — G. H. shafts of 
the carriage to which the ox is harnessed by the straps j I. M. 
is the board in the front of the box, which is not so high as 
the others, and upon the edge of which are a row of iron points 
curved inward, and sufficiently close, so that when the straw is 
engaged between them, and the machine advances forward, 
the ears cannot clear themselves, but are separated from the 
straw by the effort the ox makes to advance. 
It appears, that in those times this machine was used, the Conclusion* 
straw was left on the ground in order to enrich it, and 
was buried in the earth by repeated ploughing. If this ma- 
chine were again brought into use, after the corn was removed, 
might not the straw be removed in the same manner as grass 
is done ? If this were the only disadvantage that presented it- 
self*, it might soon be obviated j but I think much corn would 
be lost, and in this point of view, this machine, so far from 
being economical, would be prejudicial in agriculture. It re- 
quires to be considerably improved ; but this is not my present 
object : I have proposed merely to give a description of it. 
■* It is probable this machine was invented to carry off the gram 
in haste, on the fear of invasion from an enemy. 
