810 
AMERICAN AQRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
The Implement Trial at Auburn. 
The officers of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society 
have undertaken to conduct a trial of Mowers and Reap¬ 
ers, which would fairly test these machines in such a way, 
and in so many different ways, that after their report is 
before the public, every one giving careful attention to it 
may be able intelligently to review every step of their 
progress, and pass a fair judgment upon their conclusions. 
The trial commenced upon the 10th of July, with the 
understanding that the committee would stick to work as 
long as was necessary. The Society was ready on the 
day appointed, but the exhibitors were most of them be¬ 
hind hand, causing fully 24 hours delay, and no small 
annoyance and expense to those who came from a dis¬ 
tance. The names of the judges are as follows: 
Hon. John Stanton Gould. Chairman, Hudson, N. Y. 
Col. B. P. Johnson, Albany, N. Y. 
Sanford Howard, Esq., Lansing, Micliigan. 
E. R. Potter, Esq., Kingston, Rhode Island. 
Prof. Pierce. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 
Hon. Elisha Foote, Esq., Washington, D. C. 
Henrv Waterman, Esq., Hudson, N. Y. 
Hon. Ezra Cornell, Ithaca, N. Y. 
Hon. Samuel Campbell, New York Mills, N, Y. 
Hon. A. B. Conger, Haverstraw, N. Y. 
T. L. Harison, Esq., Morley, N. Y. 
They are gentlemen who are so well known and re¬ 
spected, that no one will think of such a thing as charg¬ 
ing intentional partiality to any one of them. The compet¬ 
itors are, we think, perfectly satisfied that the committee 
mean to deal fairly by them. The Dynamometer (the 
instrument used for testing the draught), employed 
is a triumph of mechanical ingenuity, and is the inven¬ 
tion of Mr. Waterman, a member of the committee who 
has successfully used a larger one several years in testing 
the draught of locomotives. The instrument acts inde¬ 
pendently of jerks, equalizing and measuring their force, 
it records the distance tr.aveled over, and the power ex¬ 
pended, so that after a load, or machine has been moved 
any distance, it may be seen at a glance how many feet 
the same outlay of power would have lifted 1000 pounds 
perpendicularly, if it had be'en so applied. We hope 
soon to give our readers a description of this interesting 
machine, with illustrations. 
There were 57 entries of Mowers and Reapers, includ¬ 
ing several entries from the same parties in each of the dif¬ 
ferent classes, as for instance, the same exhibitor would 
show his machine as a mower, as a self-raking reaper, 
as a hand-raking reaper, as a combined mower and reap¬ 
er, and as a one-horse mower—presenting of course as 
many different machines. 
The writer was present the first days of the trial, but 
could not remain throughout. The field work com¬ 
menced on the 11th, and was continued for more than 
two weeks. The mowers were tiled first in a piece of 
badly lodged clover, each cutting an acre, and starting 
four at a time. The Kirby was the only 1-wheeled ma¬ 
chine we saw, and there was one. The Eureka, of novel 
construction, which struck us as having some very good 
points. The wheels are set as wide apart as the length 
of the 5 or 6 foot cutter bar which is between them, and 
the horses travel 6 feet or more apart, one close to the 
grass and the other in the standing grass. The grass, if 
heavy, is left nearly erect. All the most popular ma¬ 
chines were represented, .and the work done, both in the 
field mentioned, and in others, in giaassof diverse quality, 
was prevailingly excellent. The dynamometer tests 
have not been made public. 
In the grain fields, so far as cutting went, of course all 
the machines did well. The great interest centered in 
the modes of disposing of the cut grain. Hand-rakers 
Worked well, why should they not ?—Some of the Setf- 
raters did well, but not up to the mark. The Droppers 
merited and obtained considerable attention and favor. 
These receive the cut grain upon a series of long fingers 
extending b.ackward at right angles to the finger bar, and 
when a sufficient quantity has been accumulated tor a 
sheaf, the fingers are dropped and the stubble pressing up 
between the fingers sweeps the gavel off, while by a 
simple contrivance the falling grain is caught and held, 
until the dropper is brought into its place again. This 
plan h.as the merit of cheapness and great simplicity. 
There was also a very interesting machine exhibited be¬ 
fore the committee, but not placed in competition, upon 
which two binders riding, bound the grain as fast as it 
was cut. It is the invention of C, W. Marsh, made by 
■Stewart & Marsh (Plano, Kendall Co., Ill.). Stewart, an 
exceedingly rapid and expert binder, rode alone and 
bound the wheat for a short time as fast as cut, when the 
machine was driven very slowly. On the whole, the 
hand-rakers are regarded as a thing of the past, the drop- 
persVill probably take their piace, and people will not 
be satisfied with seif-rakers which do not deliver to bind¬ 
ers upon the machine.-The trial was a very tedious 
one, much more so than was necessary. Some members 
of the committee evidently lacked practical sagacity ; 
and the committee needed a good foreman, one who 
would do no work himself, but simply direct others and 
make things go with spirit. Still we have no doubt of the 
great value of the results, which will be quite as great 
for the manufacturers as for the purchasers. Tiie report 
is not looked for before the State Fair, and we presume 
it will hardly be given in full at that time.-During 
the mower and reaper tiial, other implements, hay 
tedders, hay forks, presses, horse-forks, hay loaders, 
etc., were exhibited, and after the trial they were 
examined and tested by the committee. 
Containing a great variety of Items, incinding many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throiu into smaller 
type and condensed form, for want of space elsewhere. 
Annual Subscription Teems (always in advance): $1.50 
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in September.—We respectfully request all our readers 
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Clubs can now be made up, at club rates for next year, 
embracing old and new subscribers, and the new sub¬ 
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the new names be so marked .—In making this offer, the 
publishers have several ends in view. 1st, The extra 
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scribe ; 2d, Every one who reads this journal for a month 
or two will doubtless be ready to influence still others to 
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perienced clerks have leisure, .and by so much lessen the 
pressure of business towards the close of the year, when 
more than a hundred thousand renewals are to be at¬ 
tended to. This last item will partially pay the expense 
of the extra numbers. So we solicit the kind offices of 
our friends in swelling the list of new subscribers this 
month. The extra numbers free will go far in deciding 
the question of subscribing with many persons, if some 
one will inform them of the offer. 
G<t>Oa> PREMIfJlVIS for all wlio 
Desire them,—This month a good Time to 
begin,— The publishers are preparing a list of excellent 
articles to be given to those who make up clubs of sub¬ 
scribers for 1867. The list is delayed to make it as com¬ 
plete and valuable as possible. It will be completed 
during this month with full descriptions, and be sent free 
to all desiring it. It will contain many valuable articles 
one or more of which will be specially desired in every 
family. Any one can begin at once to make up a list of 
subscribers, and then choose the premium afterwards 
when the list is made as large as possible. Old and new 
names will count in the premium clubs, but the extra 
offer to new subscribers, noted above, will aid in secur¬ 
ing new names this month. The extra numbers are given 
to new members of premium clubs, the same as to others. 
N. Ji.— Every list of names designed for a premium club 
must be so marked when sent in, and it will then be 
credited to the sender in the premium book. Send the 
names along as fast .as obtaiqpd, so that the subscribers 
may begin to receive their papers. To avoid error, and 
save keeping wrong accounts, let the exact subscription 
money accompany each list of names. The best mode of 
remitting money is by Post-office money orders, or drafts 
on New York Banks, payable to order of tlie publishers. 
Start tlac Premium Clu1>s at tlie 
Fairs, Flections, etc,— These annual gatherings 
afford a good opportunity to those who wish to secure 
one or more of our good premium articles, to begin the 
work. Last year many persons collected names enough 
to secure premiums worth from $10 to $60, by a single 
day’s work at the fairs. 
Govei'nment Eand au«| Eantl Of¬ 
fices.—We have a good many letters asking where the 
best Government lands are located. Wo probably could 
not express our own preferences without getting a flood 
of letters assuring us that the lands and prospects in a 
dozen other sections were equal or superior. In most of 
the new States, and those recently the seat of war, the 
people are anxious to have settlers from the old States 
come among them, and a letter to the Governor or Secre¬ 
tary of Slate, of the State preferred would receive atten¬ 
tion, and reliable information would be given. 
Ti-oiitolc witli flae Grape Eeaf,—A. 
F. Gillett sends us a grape leaf, upon which are many 
rough protuberances, asking what the trouble is. If he cuts 
these open, he will find a minute larva within. We have 
seen this several times, but never where we could watch 
its development and ascertain what the perfect insect is. 
Saratog'a, —This resort of fashionable people 
and invalids, who crowd its hotels and one another from 
June to October, seeking health in its saline waters, or 
amusement in the society they there form and find, this 
year offers an attraction tothe farmers in having secured 
the State Fair. The fair promises to be of unusual attrac¬ 
tiveness, and there are many things to interest and enter¬ 
tain outside the fair grounds, of which we are pleasantly 
reminded by the “ Views of Saratoga," published by J. 
Nelson & Son, New York, with an historical and descrip¬ 
tive sketch by Wm. L. Stone. These are a dozen colored 
lithographs, and form not only a pleasant souvenir, but a 
guide book to Saratoga, which will be of value to visitors. 
“ XUe Miglit of llie ISepiitoJic.”— 
Wm. O. 11. Oldroyd, of Columbus, O., a soldier during 
the whole of the late war, has prepared an interesting 
sheet. He secured carte de visitesol 110 of the leading 
public men of the past half dozen years, including mili¬ 
tary men, statesmen, divines, etc. Upon these were 
secured the actual autographs of the individuals them¬ 
selves, and then the whole were arranged together, and 
copied in a large photographic picture, on a sheet 20x24 
inches. Framed and hung in the parlor it is a neat and 
valuable ornament, giving us the pictures and autograplis 
of each of the 110 men at a moderate cost—$3, or $6 if 
placed in a neat walnut and gilt frame and glass. 
^l.SO pays for a copy of the Agriculturist for 
all of 1867, and a new subscriber sent this month will re¬ 
ceive the paper free the last three months of this year. 
$5 pays for four copies of all of 1867, and each 
new subscriber will receive the rest of this year free. 
The same rates for five, six, seven, eight or nine copies. 
$12 pays for ten copies for all of 1867, and each 
new subscriber will receive the remainder of the year 
free. The same rates for any number of subscribers 
up to nineteen. A free copy to the sender of the club. 
$S© pays for twenty copies for all of 1867, and 
each new subscriber will receive the paper the remain¬ 
der of this year free. The same rates for all copies 
over twenty. A free copy to the sender of the club. 
Mog Cholera.—^I. Plaquet, Ills., F. S. Haskell, 
Mass., S. B. Peck, Mich., and others.—The following will 
answer your queries, in regard to a malady concerning 
which many things are better known than how to cure it. 
Many names have been applied to this disease, it being 
known in various parts of the world as “ Blue Sickness,” 
or “Blue Disease,” “Pig Distemper,” “Red Soldier,” 
and “ Hog Cholera,” and veterinarians have theorized 
much on its nature. It first affects the digestive or¬ 
gans ; the blood undergoes changes favorable to transu- 
dations, which occur in different parts of the body. 
Symptoms.— first thing that generally directs at¬ 
tention to the disease is the sudden death of one or more 
pigs. On a closer inspection the animals are noticed to 
be dull, caring neither for food nor water, creeping be¬ 
neath the straw or into some dark phice ; the head is held 
low, and the ears drooping. Signs of abdominal pain are 
often well marked, and, as a rule, there is a disposition 
to lie on the belly. The animals are under some circum¬ 
stances wild, frantic, or quite unconscious. There is 
occasionally violent retching or vomiting of food or 
mucus, and bile. In the early stage, the feces are of 
normal consistence ; urine, pale; later, diarrhcea sets in, 
excrements becoming dark and fetid. The pulse beats 
from 100 to 120 per minute, the action of the heart being 
barely perceptible. A staring look, tendency to press 
on the abdominal organs, rolling about, inability to stand, 
etc., are indicative of increasing pain. There is a singu¬ 
lar jerking or spasmodic breathing in all cases, complicat¬ 
ed by congestion of the lungs. A marked weakness of 
the hind quarters is observed from the commencement of 
the attack. The animal staggers, its limbs cross each 
other, and at last are paralyzed. It cannot squeal or 
grunt, and there is a subdued hacking cough. Blood 
settles in the skin more or less over the whole body, dis¬ 
coloring the skin and mucous membranes, sometime be¬ 
fore death; this gave origin to the name “ Blue Disease.” 
