APRIL 11 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
119 
ffrcjpii auii fetfoui. 
SPRING LABORS. 
With what hopeful anxiety do the earth- 
workers anticipate the return of this fastidious 
season ! How often does its tardy arrival fill us 
with doubt as to the prospects of abundant crops, 
fearing that, because we are short-sighted and 
limited in our knowledge, there may be some¬ 
thing wrong in the dispensations of Providence. 
Yet has not the earth hitherto brought forth 
abundantly, in return for atenttion and care on 
the part of the cultivator, and have not rich and 
fruitful crops followed the hopeful deposit of 
seed in the wonderful receptacle, know by the 
familiar term, soil. It is well that we should 
think of this stability of purpose on the part of 
the Great Designer as an immutable fact, when 
from one or more causes there may be a little 
deviation from the regular routine. 
To obviate the consequences which might 
result from these irregularities, it is a duty to 
employ our intelligence in devising schemes to 
assist in working out the plan; to forecast a 
little, and make provisions for wants, not at the 
time apparent. To this purpose the gardener, 
by the use of artificial appliances, creates a 
genial atmosphere, where, while the tedious 
winter still lingers, lie rears the young plants 
which are in a partly developed state, to be 
finally committed to the earth on the approach 
of spring. By this means a succession of escu¬ 
lents may be obtained, which without some 
extra care would never reach their true stand¬ 
ard of quality and size. Without this system 
ot preparation and precaution against contin¬ 
gencies, we should not deserve the title of 
improving cultivators, nor fulfil the duties 
which should devolve on such as claim to be 
horticulturists. 
Were it possible to laydown definite rules 
and directions, to embrace and govern the 
vicissitudes of climate, the atmospheric changes 
at times sudden and almost unaccountable, then 
the business or calling, or if you will, profession, 
of Horticulture, would be a mere routine of 
mechanical operations. Calendars might con¬ 
tain almost all that any man with his common 
faculties would require, to direct him in the 
cultivation of the various plants which are 
given for our use. But as seasons vary as soils 
differ, as many obscure causes operate to pro¬ 
duce obvious effects, it is necessary that, some¬ 
thing should be known of principles,—some¬ 
thing understood more than the time to plant, 
and the time to take up that which has been 
planted. 
Our present Spring season has just opened in 
this locality, and it will soon be ascertained 
what havoc the past severe winter has made 
among our unacclimated trees and plants.— 
From many districts of the country, North and 
West, reports are received of the destruction of 
fruit trees, many Peach, Cherry, and even Pear 
and Apple trees, are much injured. No pre¬ 
caution which we could take with profit, would 
obviate these periodical visitations, but with 
good cultivation and improved systems of treat¬ 
ment, much might be effected in modifying 
these results. 
Our object now particularly, is to impress on 
cultivators in the farm, garden, and orchard, and 
throughout the entire routine of culture, the 
importance of promptness in making the most 
of every opportunity which offers, to get in the 
crops in a proper manner. Where draining has 
been neglected there will be great disadvanta¬ 
ges to contend with, for in land not carefully 
and properly drained, there is a difference in 
season, as to healthy vegetation, of from one to 
two weeks; on well managed land, the first 
few days of sunny weather will prepare the soil 
for the reception of the seed. The early crops 
of vegetables must at once be put in. Peas, 
Radishes, Spinach, Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, 
Onions, and several other leading vegetables, 
should be sown. Never sow any crop broad¬ 
cast, that can be grown with success in drills. 
When m drills, facilities are afforded for 
thorough cultivation throughout the season.— 
Celery should be raised under glass, for the 
early crops. Sown in a frame, the plants will 
be advanced several weeks. We always pre¬ 
fer sowing thin, and when the plants attain 
sufficient size lo handle, plant out finally into 
the row. The sash can be removed when the 
weather becomes mild, or if sown in a small 
box frame, the entire box and sash may be 
removed, and used for other seeds, or advancing 
tender plants, such as the Egg or Tomato. As 
every seedsman should make it his business to 
procure the varieties best suited to his locality, 
the selection might better be left to him. Those 
who have tested certain kinds should, where 
advisable, recommend them to their neighbors. 
The season is late — let those who desire good 
vegetables be busy now.—s. 
Blight on Vines. —For the last two or three 
years, both cucumber and melon vines have 
been more or less troubled with what we call 
the blight; the disease begins at or near the 
root, and the leaves wilt as though they were 
severed from the vine ; the latter remains green 
for some time, but finally withers and dries up. 
Will some one give me the cause and remedy 
by way of the Rural ?— C., He-nry Co., 0. 
Airing House-Plants. — House-plants are 
greatly benefited by being placed out of doors, 
in the summer months, especially during gentle 
showers; and such as have no other convenience 
may advantageously place them outside the 
windows. They may also be syringed and 
washed in this position, or may be sprinkled by 
a common watering-pot, allowing the water to 
fall on the plant with considerable force. 
CHERRY GRAFTING. 
Eds. Rural : — Under the above caption in the 
Rural of March 1st, 1856, your correspondent 
I. S. C. takes exception to the theory by me 
advanced on this subject in a previous number 
of your paper. He raises objections which, to 
his mind, doubtless seem wholly unanswerable ; 
informs your readers, with a laudable delicacy, 
that he is deeply experienced in the cultivation 
of the Cherry—that he, whose experience in this 
matter runs counter to his own, knows nothing ; 
and concludes by begging the whole question, 
in the remark “I have reference to grafting on 
nursery stocks, of course. ” Referring your 
readers to my former position, I would here 
merely re-assert that the theory there advanced 
is strictly correct, Mr. I. S. C.’s experience and 
his assertions to the contrary, notwithstanding. 
I will not attempt to quote the gentleman’s re¬ 
marks, but deal with the evident meaning there¬ 
of, or the inferences therefrom to be drawn. He 
thinks that scions, set when the roots of the tree 
are bound with frost, and are dormant, must 
perish or be seriously injured for lack of nour¬ 
ishment which the tree will not furnish while 
in this state. Now if the scion will suffer se¬ 
verely or wholly perish for the lack of nourish¬ 
ment, the fate of the natural branches must be 
the same, for the nourishment is equally with¬ 
held from both. Again, he observes, if we graft 
the first or second week in February, the scions 
are in great danger of being killed by expo¬ 
sure to the changes of weather, for six or eight 
weeks. No one required this at Mr. I. S. C.’s 
hands. I merely said that the grafting should 
be done before the sap starts. In ordinary sea¬ 
sons the sap starts (in this locality) from about 
the first to the tenth of March, and very fre¬ 
quently earlier still. But the scions, if the or¬ 
dinary mode of cleft grafting be adopted, and 
they are properly shielded with good wax, will 
neither perish nor suffer severely. If Mr. 1. S. 
C. were in this county we could show him some 
splendid orchards which bear regularly and 
abundantly, the scions in which were all set in 
December, and hence exposed to all the rigor 
and changes of the winter season, yet succeeded 
as generally as those set in the spring. I am 
forced to the conclusion that the danger of well- 
shielded scions perishing from exposure is but 
little greater than that of the natural branches, 
and exists more in imagination than in reality. 
After speaking of my theory of early graft¬ 
ing, Mr. I. S. C. confidently asserts that if I had 
tried it the present, or either February of the 
last two years, my efforts would have ended in 
a failure. In the second week ofFebruary,1855, 
I had a large tree grafted — the grafts succeed¬ 
ed admirably—have grown from two to four 
feet in length, throwing out fine lateral branches 
in abundance — are as stocky as desirable, and 
at this writing, appear in fine condition. For 
the last five or six years, every February has 
witnessed among us experiments in grafting the 
cherry, and not in a solitary instance have the 
grafts succeeded when set after the sap had 
commenced flowing. We have had scions taken 
from the same stock, at the same time, and set 
with equal care in adjacent limbs on the same 
tree, part before the sap started and part after¬ 
wards, at various periods during the spring; 
those set before the sap started succeeded as 
well as apple grafts, while those set after, failed 
without an exception. We have had scions set 
by experienced operators ; have tested them in 
every variety of the spring season, and always 
with the same result, which is to my mind con¬ 
clusive, and demonstrates that the assertion of 
I. S. C., “that every man knows or ought to 
know, who has had any experience in the culti¬ 
vation of the cherry, that it can be grafted after 
the sap commences flowing, and that with good 
success,” is not founded in fact, nor sustained 
by experiment, and that the charge of incorrect¬ 
ness brought against me, in fact lies at his own 
door. Neither in the remarks by me made in a 
previous number, nor in the present, have I any 
reference to grafting on nursery stocks. Per¬ 
sons frequently by purchase or otherwise, be¬ 
come possessed of premises upon which are 
found large, thrifty cherry trees, which produce 
an abundance of ordinary or very poor fruit.— 
To aid such in supplying themselves with choice 
fruit without removing the trees and waiting 
for others to fill their places, was my only object 
in dropping the remarks I have. The facts here 
stated can be attested to by those who have fol¬ 
lowed grafting among us for years, as also by 
some of our most reliable farmers. 
In conclusion,— to such as may wish advice 
in cultivating the cherry, (where they have 
large trees whose fruit they would alter or im¬ 
prove,) I would say bud your trees by all means, 
if circumstances permit; but if not, then graft, 
but always set your scions before the sap starts 
or you will reap the fruits of disappointment.— 
If your readers are convinced, it is well ; if not, 
I would only say, “ prove all things, hold fast to 
that which is good.” w. p. t. 
Erie, Pa., March 28, 18«6. 
ROOT-GRAFTED TREES, ETC. 
The Grapery —Hardly any of the common 
fruits are more easily produced than grapes; 
and, while the original cost is trifling, the care 
of a vine, or a number of vines, is rather pleasure 
than labor. Before setting the root, throw out 
the earth to the depth of two or three feet, and 
fill up ten inches with coarse manure of any 
sort—old bones, oyster shells, <fcc.; then throw 
in rich loam, and a few quants of wood ashes, 
and fill up with composted manure and loam, 
or rich loam alone ; the soil is then ready to 
set the root. Put around it strawy manure, and 
give it occasionally the benefit of soap suds.— 
The effect of the latter application on an un¬ 
thrifty vine is sometimes surprising. The late 
A. J. Downing said that he had seen an Isabella 
vine produce three thousand clusters of fruit in 
a single season.— Home Journal. 
Eds. Rural :— I read the article in the Rural 
of March 1st, headed “Root-grafted Trees,” 
with much interest. I fully believe that most 
varieties of apples set so low in the ground that 
the scion will take root, are ruined. To make 
good trees, the whole seedling should be used, 
and the scion set at or above the collar. (By 
whole seedlings I mean so much of the upper 
part as is necessary, and not use a second cut¬ 
ting.) And I have found that such seedlings 
as have become so earthed up as to cause roots 
to strike above the collar; the whole original 
root has ceased to grow, and some commence to 
rot in the center, at the collar, even the first 
season; others last longer, but the tree seems 
to be ruined, and I always throw them away 
when it has proceeded so far as to injure the 
tap root. 
Many persons will set trees from four to six 
inches deeper than they stood in the nursery ; 
and then blame the nurseryman because they 
do not grow, when they might about as well 
have thrown them in the fire in the first place. 
I have lost some fine seedling trees just by 
carelessness in throwing the earth up to the 
tree when plowing ; they threw out roots above 
the collar, and would flourish wonderfully for a 
little while, and then the leaves turned yellow 
and they died. I examined one which had got 
so it could hardly stand alone, and the original 
roots were all dead,—most of them rotted off,— 
and the heart was dead, as high as the limbs. 
I have several others not much better from the 
same cause. J. s- l. 
Genesee, Wls., March, 18£6. 
PRUNING. 
We extract the following from a paper read 
before the Cincinnati Hort. Society, by E. J. 
Hooper: 
The principal objects ol pruning, are to pro¬ 
cure a good bole or trunk for timber; to form a 
head moderately open and spreading, (if a 
standard orchard,) for the protection and healthy 
and perfect development of fruit; and subserve 
in some measure the purpose of ornament. 
To effect these objects with the least trouble, 
and greatest advantage upon all non-resinous 
trees, the following directions are recommended. 
1. Begin to prune the tree when it is young. 
2. Cut close and smooth to the bole or limb. 
3. Cut, when small, the branches which are 
likely to cross one another, or which are ‘likely 
to interfere, or become useless, or dead, and 
which, if suffered to remain, will require to be 
removed at a more advanced period of growth; 
when very large they would create too great a 
shock upon the vital energies of the plant. 
4. Avoid pruning to excess under our hot sun. 
Let the branches occupy at least a third of the 
entire height of the tree. 
5. Do not trim when the tree bleeds. 
When the preceding suggestions are observ¬ 
ed, I may add : 
6. Pruning may be done at any time when 
the tree is in a dormant state ; but the best and 
safest time is when vegetation is at rest, just at 
the time of the rising of the sap. 
7. Shortening in, or the extirpation of water 
sprouts, may be done at all times in summer. 
8. For dwarfing and early fruiting, shorten¬ 
ing in or summer pruning is essential, but to be 
done with great delicacy at this season. 
'araustic Icflttiimy. 
Excelsior Cake. —Take two quarts of cold 
hasty-pudding and work in as much wheat flour 
as you can to make it stiff; add a teacupfull 
of potato yeast,—(see Rural of Feb. 9th for the 
yeast.) Let stand till very light; flour the 
hand, press the dough thin, in small cakes, and 
drop into boiling fat. They brown better with 
a little sugar in them. These will be found to 
be a delicious breakfast cake, superior to ban¬ 
nocks, fritters, or almost any cake cooked in 
the same manner.—J. E. D., Owego, N. K 
“ Labor-Saving” Soap. —To 5 gallons of soft 
soap or 14 pounds of hard do., add 4 pounds of 
sal. soda, do. of rosin, % lb. salt., and 2 oz. 
spirits of turpentine. Boil together until thor¬ 
oughly incorporated. In using it is best to 
soak the clothes over night, but washes well for 
immediate use.— J. A. Knowles, East Porter, 
N. Y. 
Graham Crackers. —Wet Graham flour with 
cold or luke-warm water, mix the dough stiff" 
and work together well. Roll out thin and 
bake in hot oven. Should this be too plain or 
simple, let a little butter be rubbed in the flour, 
or use a cup of sweet cream to one quart of the 
flour.—B. J. Campbell, Glen Haven, N. Y. 
White-wash. —Persons desiring an excellent 
and permanent white-wash, will be pleased 
with the following :—To a half barrel of a solu¬ 
tion of lime and water made as usual, add two 
quarts of molasses, or five pounds of sugar, and 
five pounds of salt; stir well together in the 
white solution of lime ; then add one pound of 
rice flour, and mix well together. This mixture 
will not rub on clothing, or keep the walls 
damp. The action of the rice flour and salt 
fastens the lime, and the syrup makes it per- 
man ent.— Baltimore Sun. 
Apple Bread. —Take some good boiling ap¬ 
ples, boil them till quite soft, pulp them through 
a seive—put into a bowl or tub four times their 
weight of flour, add the yeast and mix up as 
for bread, set the sponge twice, and bake in 
tins. This, when nicely done, makes a good, 
short, sweet and wholesome bread. They will 
also mix very nicely with a soda cake for tea. 
nfamc gfcfe, &c. 
LIST OF PATENTS, 
Issued from the (United States Patent Office for the 
week ending March 26, 1856. 
Lambert Alexander, New York, improvement in propell¬ 
ing vessels. 
Gustav A. Blitthowski and Frederick Hoffman, N. Y., 
improvement in needle guns. 
Charles H. Key, Baltimore, Administrator of Simon F. 
Blunt, deceased, improvement in detaching boats from 
their tackle. 
Adolph and Felix Brown, New York, machine for cut- 
ting loaf sugar. 
Ambtose E. Burnside, Bristol, R. I., improvement in 
breech-loading fire-arms. 
Abraham Coats, New York, improvement in regulating 
the flow of oil to the wick in Carcel lamps. 
Geo. H. Corlis and Elisha Harris, Providence, improve¬ 
ment in presses for punching. 
Charles W. Davis, Newark, improvement in fruit or 
giain dryers. 
Josephus Echols, Columbus, Ga., improvement in stone¬ 
drilling machines. 
Calvin Fletcher, Cincinnati, Ohio, improvement in pad¬ 
dle wheels. 
John S. Gallagher, Jr., Washington, improvement in 
water coolers and filters. 
Jesse Gilman, Nashua, improved lath machine. 
Stephen J. Gold, New Haven, improvement in steam 
radiator clocks. 
Halvor Halvorson, Boston, assignor to F. R. Slocum and 
Robert Watkinson, Hartford, Conn., improved miniature 
case. 
J. W. Hoard, Providence, improved pile driver. 
Wm. W. Hubbell, Philadelphia, improvement in explo¬ 
sive shells. 
William Jenks, Alexandria, improvement in hand corn- 
planters. 
Charles Jones, Brooklyn, improvement in ash sifters. 
Konrad Keller, N. Y., improvement in fan rocking chairs. 
Charles H. Lewis, Malden, Mass., improvement in spring 
platform for railroad cars. 
N. Murphy Lowe, Boston, improved piano forte action. 
Azrel S. Lyman, New York, improved method of cooling 
and ventilating rooms, etc. 
J. W. Mahan, Lexington, Ill., improved carpenter’s 
bench. 
Jos. Miller, Boston, machine for sweeping streets. 
Edwin P. Monroe, Charlestown, Mass., improvement in 
gun locks. 
Henry R. and James L. Plimpton, Hamden Co., Mass, 
improvement in wardrobes, bedsteads combined with other 
furniture. 
Lucius Paige, Cavendish, Vt., improvement in the levers 
of railroad car brakes. 
Horatio 0. Perry, Buffalo, improved valve motion for 
oscillating engines. 
Cyrus Roberts and John Cox, New Hope, Va., improve¬ 
ment in grain separators. 
J. B. Reyman, Salem, Ind., field fence. 
James Rowe, Tampa Bay, portable field fences. 
J. M. Sampson, Waynesville, Ill., improved post driver. 
Albert Spencer, New York, improvement in machines for 
sizing hat bodies. 
Solon Staples, Bath, Me., improved clamp for planking 
ships. 
O. M. Stillman and Stephen Wilcox, Jr., Westerly, im¬ 
provements in steam boilers. 
Jno. Stull, Philadelphia, improvement in syringe bottles 
for medicinal agents. 
Andrew J. Sweeney, Wheeling, water meter. 
Wm. Thomas, New York, improved cock for steam, wa¬ 
ter, &c. T—-r 
Wm. H. Towers, Philadelphia, improvement in “creep¬ 
ers” to prevent slipping on ice, &c. 
Wm. Warwick, Pittsburg, improvement in wrenches. 
A. W. Washburn, Yazoo City, improvement in cotton 
seed planters. 
James H. Bennett, Bennington, Vt., improved butter 
workers. 
Samuel Beaumont, New York, self-setting rat-trap. 
John A. Bailey, Detroit, improvement in machines for 
sawing marble in obelisk form. 
Micajah Crenshaw, Springfield, Texas, improved cultiva¬ 
ting plow. 
Samuel Green, Lynn, improvement in tools for figuring 
morocco. 
John Haselton, Goffstow n , N. H., water wheel. 
Isacchar A. Heald, Springfield, Mass., improvement in 
machines for sawing marble in obelisk form. 
Philip Scrag, Washington, D. C., improved mold for 
earthen vessels, pots, &c. 
D. H. Thompson, Fitchburg, Mass., improvement in ma¬ 
chines for raking and loading hay. 
A. W. Washburn, Yazoo City, improvement in cotton 
hillers. 
A. W. Washburn, Yazoo City, improvement in cotton 
scrapers. 
Abner Whiteley, Springfield, 0., improvement in grain 
and grass harvesters. 
Justus Webster, Boston, and Sam’l H. Folsom, Lowell, 
improved printing cylinder. 
Thos. C. Bell, Walpole, assignor to Nathaniel Sampson, 
Shelburne, Mass, improvement in scythe fastening. 
John H. Manny. Rockford, assignor to Peter H. Wat¬ 
son, Washington, D. C., improvement in harvester cutters. 
Henry S. Hopkins, Providence, assignor to himself, 
Benj. W. Hendrick, East Greenwich, and Joseph C. Peck- 
ham, Providence, iimprovement in means for regulating 
variable cut-offs for steam engines. 
Halsey D. Walcott, Pawtucket, assignor to himself and 
Milton E. Walcott, same place, improvement in wrenches. 
Rich’d Hunt, Freeport, Ill., improvement in horsepower. 
re-issues. 
Elmer Townsend, Boston, assignor of Sidney J. Turner, 
Westborough, Mass., improvement in sewing machines. 
Patented August 22,1854. 
Thomas Brown, London, England, improved arrange¬ 
ment of means for woiking and stopping cables. Patented 
July 27,1854. Patented in England, April 20, 1847. 
Wm. P. Wood, Washington, D. C., assignor of himself 
and John S. Gallagher, Jr., same place, improved sewing 
machine. Patented February 26,1S55. 
McCORMICK’S REAPING MACHINE. 
Washington, March, 1856. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— In October last 
you were, I doubt not, deceived into the publi¬ 
cation of an article which did me injustice; 
and, coming to you with the proof of this, I ask 
the reparation which I cannot doubt will be 
promptly made. The article in question pur¬ 
ported to be a translation from that highly re¬ 
spectable French journal, Le Constitutionncl, and 
to give an account of the first official trial of 
rival Reaping Machines at the Palais of Indus¬ 
trie in Paris, in August last. This account 
awards the palm to Manny’s machine, and it is 
an entire fabrication, neither this article nor any¬ 
thing like it ever having appeared in the Constitu¬ 
tionncl ! On the contrary, that journal, with the 
other Paris journals, so far as I have seen or 
heard, concurred with the jury who presided 
over the trial in declaring my machine indis¬ 
putably and beyond comparison the victor. I 
send you the certificate to this effect of its edi¬ 
tor, Mr. Cucheval Clarigny, attested by our 
Consul at Paris, as also the explanatory letter 
of Mr. Chase (Paris correspondent of American 
journals) to me, together with his citations of 
what Le Constitutionncl really did say on the 
result of each trial, uniformly admitting the 
superiority of my machine. I beg you to read 
these original papers, print this note, set me 
right before your readers, and thus oblige your 
obedient servant, C. H. McCormick. 
Paris, January 31, 1856. 
C. H. McCormick, Esq., Chicago, Illinois : 
Dear Sir —Although I have not the advan¬ 
tage of a personal acquaintance with you, yet I 
do not hesitate to assure you that, in common 
with all our fellow-countrymen, I am proud of 
the splendid triumph of your Reaping and 
Mowing Machine at the Universal Exhibition 
in Paris as well as at the World’s Fair in London. 
I may add that the appearance in several 
American journals of an article relative to the 
experiments with agricultural machines (espe¬ 
cially with reaping and mowing machines) at 
Trappes, on the 2d of August, 1855—an article 
flatly contradicting the facls of the case as at¬ 
tested by the unanimous voice of French and 
foreign journalists, and, above all, by the verdict 
of the International Jury—naturally provoked 
an inquiry on my part, inasmuch as it purport¬ 
ed to be a translation from the Paris “ Constitu- 
tionnel.” 
In reply to my inquiry, Mr. Cucheval Clarig¬ 
ny, the editor of that journal and of the “ Pays,” 
has made the following declaration, which, at 
the request of your faithful representative, Mr. 
McKenzie, has been duly legalized by Mr. Mc¬ 
Rae, the American Consul in this city, and is 
herewith sent you. 
I am, sir, yours, respectfully, 
W. S. Chase. 
[Translation of M. Cucheval Clarigny’s letter.] 
Le Constitutionncl, 10 Rue de Valois, 
Palais Royal, Reaction. 
Sir :—In reply to your inquiry, I do not hes¬ 
itate to declare that the article relative to exper¬ 
iments with agricultural machines, which has 
appeared in “Moore’s Rural New-Yorker,” 
(October 20, 1855,) and in certain other Ameri¬ 
can journals, and which was given as “ translat¬ 
ed from the Constitutionnel,” was never publish¬ 
ed by the journal which I direct; that it is 
consequently nothing but a lying fabrication, 
with the object of using the moral authority of 
the Constitutionnel in the eyes of the American 
public for the advantage of a private business. 
I leave you, sir, full liberty to make such use of 
this declaration as you please. 
The Director of the “ Constitutionnel” and of 
the “ Pays.” Cucheval Clarigny. 
To Mr. Chase, 7 Rue de la Paix. 
Saturday, January 26,1856. 
[Seal of the Director.] 
United States Consulate, Paris, France : 
The annexed signature of Mr. Cucheval 
Clarigny, Director of the “ Constitutionnel” and 
“ Pays,” published in Paris, is duly legalized at 
this Consulate. 
Paris, the 28th day of January, A. D. 1856. 
[Seal U. S. Consul.] D. McRae, U. S. Consul. 
Paris, December 20, 1855. 
It is due to the Constitutionnel to state what 
it did say of the trial of agricultural machines 
at Trappes on the 2d day of August. The half 
column which it devotes to the subject appeared 
on the 4th of August. It said : “ At the signal 
given by the rolling of the drum the teams 
started. The American machine of McCormick 
arrived the first. It required but seventeen 
minutes to cut very close and very clean 1,713 
metres of oats. Manny's machine, also an Amer¬ 
ican, obtained the second rank. It was able to fin¬ 
ish its task in twenty-three minutes.” Again, 
alluding to the trial of “the three machines, 
Atkin’s, Manny’s, and McCormick’s, the only 
ones which can serve at once for reaping and 
mowing,” with a second growth of luzerne, 
“ here again," says the Constitutionnel, “ the palm 
remained to Mr. McCormick." In regard to the 
trial in the wheat-field, the (Tonstitutionnel dis¬ 
tributes its praises quite equally among the 
different machines — “McCormick’s, Manny’s, 
Dray’s, and Cournier’s.” I give the list in the 
order in which it enumerates them. It con¬ 
cludes by saying : “ In fine, the trials offered 
the greatest interest, and we doubt not that our 
agriculturists must reap from them precious ad¬ 
vantages. Numerous reaping and mowing ma¬ 
chines exist. It is for us to choose the best.” 
Not the slightest doubt remained as to the 
choice to be made after the subsequent trials on 
the 14th. presided over by Prince Napoleon, and 
eloquently described in the Constitutionnel of the 
16th and 17th, from which it will suffice to cite 
only these words : “ McCormick’s, by the facil¬ 
ity with which it cuts the stems, and the rapid¬ 
ity with which it finished its task, most partic¬ 
ularly attracted the attention of his Highness. 
This machine, the most simple of all, and the easi¬ 
est to manceuvre, kept the rank which it had obtain¬ 
ed in the previous trials .” All disinterested 
witnesses of these trials, so remarkable in the 
annals of agriculture, are fully satisfied with 
the glorious verdict of the jury, which awarded 
the sole grand medal of honor, in the class to 
which his machine belonged, to “ McCormick, of 
Chicago, in the United States, inventor of the reap¬ 
ing machine which has worked the best at all the 
trials, and which is the type, the model after which 
all other reaping machines have been made, with 
different modifications that have not changed the 
principle of the discovery." Figaro. 
[advertisement. ] 
TO THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
Chicago, Ill., Feb. 26,1856. 
The decision of the Illinois Circuit Court delivered by Jus¬ 
tice McLean, that Manny’s machine does not infringe my 
patents, having been telegraphed throughout the country in a 
form calculated to make an erroneous impression on the public 
mind, I embrace this occasion to say a few words on that sub¬ 
ject, in order that sellers and purchasers of reapers respectively 
may be informed of their rights in the premises. 
In a similar case (vs. Seymour and Morgan) the decisions 
and rulings of Justice Nelson and verdicts of two New York 
juries were in my favor ; and there makers of Manny machines, 
not risking a defence, took license under my patents. Said de¬ 
cisions and rulings have also been approved by the Supreme 
Court, which high tribunal will, I doubt not, sustain the same 
with my claims next winter, when this case with Manny will 
be before it for hearing, thus bring all Manny machines to that 
date into the account and making liable all others separating and 
gathering the grain to theplatform and discharging it at the side of 
the machine, out of the track of the horses, on snbstantianally 
the same principle, and thus stopping their continued opera¬ 
tion. I state this that justice may prevail so far as possible.— 
My patents are sustained in strong and complimentary terms by 
all the courts, as well as the originality of my invention by the 
distinguished scientific jurors of the French Universal Exhibi¬ 
tion. The following is the official list of their awards : 
No. 1— Grand Gold Medal of Honor, C. II. McCormick, Chica¬ 
go, Illinois. No. 2—Medal of Honor Gold. No Reaper in this 
list. No. 3.—First Class Silver Medal, J. H. Manny, Illinois. 
No. 4—Second Class Silver Medal, I. S. Wright, Chicago, for 
Atkin's Self Raker, by which it will be seen that Manny's stood 
in the third and Wright’s, for Atkin’s Self Raker in the fourth 
class of awards. 
For the superior performance ot my combined machine over 
that o ail others (established also in several severe French 
trials) in cutting wheat, oats, and grass, I refer to my bills for 
proof derived from all parts of this country. The price of my 
machine is not higher than that of Manny's of the same width 
of swath, though more expensively made, with iron “ finger 
bar,” Ac. Its greater width, without heavier draught, and its 
proportional speed, as found in French trials,is of course important. 
Upon these substantial grounds I solicit the continued patron¬ 
age of my farming friends, promising not to disappoint any 
reasonable expectation; and I advise them to order early 
to insure being supplied, thus enabling me to meet the demand, 
having fallen far short of it for the last harvest, and am making 
4,000 machines for the next. 
They will be forwarded to any part of New York or the 
Canadas, subject to frieght from Buffalo, if ordered from me at 
Chicago, or of THOS. J. PATERSON, Rochester. Price of 
Combined Machine, $150—$50 payable on delivery and the bal¬ 
ance on the first of December next, with interest 
C. H. McCORMICK. 
Lake Superior Copper is pronounced in the 
French foundries to be far superior in delicacy 
of cast and tenacity, and the French government 
are about offering inducements to the consumers 
of this article, to procure their supply from 
America instead of England and Russia. 
