1846. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
165 
FARMS FOR SALE. 
I OFFER fox- sale cheap , two good farms, of 150 acres each, 
with dairy stock, &c. The one which I occupy is in Ellis- 
burg, the other in Pamelia. Or I will exchange them for a good 
farm of equal value, in a good and healthy location, from 3 to 6 
degrees farther south, a milder climate being desirable. 
DANIEL ROUNDS. 
Ellisburgh , Jefferson Co., April 1, 1846.—2t* 
McCORMICK’S REAPER. 
Brockport, March 20, 1846. 
T HE undersigned respectfully offers his PATENT REAPER 
to the farmers of New-York, and the Western States gene¬ 
rally ; and while he believes that no labor-saving machine has 
ever been introduced into public favor more cautiously, and at 
the same time with more general satisfaction to purchasers than 
his Reaper, he has the satisfaction of being able to present it for 
the harvest of 1846, in a greatly improved state. He can now 
warrant the raking of the wheat from the machine to be accom¬ 
plished with ease and completeness, by a man comfortably seated 
upon it, whose position may be seen from the cut in another part 
of this paper. This improvement was thoroughly tested in the 
last harvest with the most signal success, and as is believed, per¬ 
fects the “ Reaper.” An account of its operation on the estate of 
the late Gen. Mills, of Mount-Morris, by Samuel J. Mills, Esq., 
is hereto subjoined. 
This machine unlike many of the improvements of the present 
age, is not now offered to the public either as an untried experi¬ 
ment, or only having been partially tested, and therefore not to be 
relied upon. It has been extensively and most successfully in use 
in Virginia, since the harvest of 1842, and during the last two 
years has been extensively introduced into most of the wheat 
growing States of the Union, completely silencing opposition. So 
wide has been its range of operations in the last harvest, that it 
would be impossible, in a publication of this description, to give 
all. or even very many of the numerous certificates that have been 
procured of its satisfactory performance. Hand Bills will be 
issued in the course of a few days, by Messrs. Backus, Fitch & 
Co. of Brockport, Monroe Co., containing not only a description 
of the Machine, but the most full and unequivocal testimony of 
its usefulness and value to the farmer, by numerous indivi¬ 
duals of the very first respectability who have used it, and wit¬ 
nessed its operations. The terms on which this Machine may be 
had, and the guaranty that will be given on its side, should induce 
every farmer whose lands and crops suit its operation to give it a 
trial —as, should it prove equal to the guaranty, it will do more 
than pay for itself in the cutting a sing'e harvest. Any person 
can make the calculation for himself As improved, one man to 
rake, and a boy to drive the horses, will attend the Machine, in¬ 
stead of two full hands as before, and from two to three acres 
more in a day may be cut by the improved than by the old Ma¬ 
chine, by means of the greater ease with which it is done, which 
makes a great difference in a single harvest of any extent—say 
$25 or $30 
The Reaper is warranted to cut from 15 to 20 acres a day—to 
save an average of a bushel of wheat to the acre that would be 
lost by ordinary cradling, to be durable, and not liable to get out 
i f order, and the raking as stated above. Price $100, payable on 
delivery at Brockport, Monroe Co., New-York, or time shall be 
given for good paper, drawing interest. 
The undersigned further proposes to send his reaper to any 
responsible farmer, (or farmers,) who may desire to make a trial 
of it alongside, and on the same terms of any other , to be pur¬ 
chased or refused, as decided on making such trial. 
The undersigned, Patentee of the Machine, has contracted with 
Messrs. Backus, Fitch & Co., of this place, experienced, well 
known, and established manufacturers, for the making of a large 
number of Reapers for the ensuing harvest, to whom orders may 
be directed. Many orders have been already received from the 
" vest, as well as from the surrounding country ; therefore any per- 
*ons desirous of Machines would do well to make early appliea- 
xon, as it is not probable that all demands can be supplied. 
C. H. McCORMICK. 
From the Mt. Morris, N. Y. Spectator. 
Mr. Harding: Dear Sir—Having made a trial of Mr. Cyrus H. 
McCormick’s Reaping Machine for cutting grain, I take pleasure 
in making a public statement of it agreeably to his wishes. Mr. 
McCormick, the inventor, introduced his Machine here from Vir¬ 
ginia. He did not arrive with it until the season for cutting wheat 
had nearly passed—and consequently cut only about thirty acres 
for me. The ground was level, being on the Genesee Flats, 
though the surface was somewhat uneven, as it was a piece turned 
over last fall, when put into wheat, with a very heavy turf, and 
many of the sods still remaining on the top of the ground. But 
they seemed to form no impediment to its successful operation. 
The machine cut one piece of twenty-five acres in a little less 
than a day and a half, averaging about two acres per hour for the 
time it was in operation. The wheat cut, if well filled, would 
yield about thirty bushels to the acres. The grain was cut 
cleaner, and more even than could have been cut with the cradle 
or sickle. It is drawn by two horses with ease, and is attended by 
a man to rake, and a boy to ride and drive. The raker rides on a 
scat attached to the Machine, and takes the. wheat off at the side 
ill gavels, ready for binding. The Machine is simple in its con¬ 
struction. The knife has a sickle edge, and plays horizontally ; 
and is represented to cut one hundred acres or more without sharp¬ 
ening. The reel gathers the wheat for cutting, and lops it over on 
•the table for the raker. 1 design to use the Machine the next sea¬ 
son. I have. j,io doubt it would work well on up lands, where 
tolerably free from stumps and large stones. 
A number of persons, who were present and witnessed its op©" 
ration, uniformly, I believe, expressed much satisfaction. 
An incident occurred which may not be out of place to men¬ 
tion. Two cradlers, hearing that a machine was in the lot for cut¬ 
ting wheat, never having seen one, and believing that they could 
cut faster and better than any live Machines, started with cradles 
in hand, with the determination (to use their own words) of 
“ skunking it.” As they reached the fence, in sight of the Ma 
chine, and saw the rapid pace with which it moved, they hid their 
cradles in the crook of the fence and sloped off. 
Yours, &c. SAMUEL J. MILLS. 
Mount-Morris, August 15, 1845. 
Gen. Braxton' 1 s Certificate . 
Chericoke, Va.,Dec. 10, 1845. 
Dear Sir —I have now used your Reaper four seasons, and have 
no reason to withdraw any thing I have said in its favor hereto¬ 
fore. It has fully met my most sanguine expectations, and I can¬ 
not think that any farmer, having once tried it, would ever again 
willingly go into harvest without one or more, as might be the 
size of his farm. I have never found any difficulty in keeping 
them in order ; in fact, much less than with the cradles. Although 
the two that I have work remarkably well, as you think your late 
improvements have so materially benefitted the Reaper, I mua" 
request you to send me one for the next harvest. 
am, very respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
CORBIN BRAXTON. 
To Mr. C. H. McCormick. 
Gen. Cocke's Certificate, 
December 13, 1845. 
I have used one of Mr. McCormick’s Reapers, and am satisfied, 
experimentally, of its value as a labor-saving machine; and, 
furthermore, that it saves something like a seeding of the land, 
over and above the process of cradling—I have, therefore, ordered 
another upon the improved plan, at Mr. McCormick’s recommen¬ 
dation. JOHN H. COCKE. 
Carlton, Dec. 15,1845. 
Having now used McCormick’s Reaper in three harvests, I 
willingly bear renewed testimony to iis value. Under the belief 
that the late alterations in its construction, can scarcely fail o5 
enhancing its utility and diminishing the labor of raking, I have 
engaged a new machine for the next harvest. 
ALEX. RIVES, Brother of the Senator. 
Elk Hill, Dec. 13, 1845. 
Dear Sir—I cheerfully comply with your request to give you fo? 
publication, my opinion in regard to your Reaper. I do this the 
more readily, because I believe its introduction into general use 
would be a great public benefit. 
In the commencement of the last harvest, I put two Reapers in 
operation in Elk Island in a field of 180 acres, at the same time E 
started 14 cradles in a highland field, at this place, of the same 
quantity of land. The reapers on the Island and the cradles on the 
hill finished their work at the expiration of six days. There was 
not an hour’s difference. If the cradles had been on the Island, 
instead of the highland, I do not think they could have performed 
more than two-thirds of the woik. On the low grounds, therefore, 
where the harvest is generally heavy, I consider the “ Reaper ” to 
be equal to 10 cradles. I found one cradle to be sufficient to open 
the way for the two Reapers. This, with the addition of the dri¬ 
vers, the rakers, and five pickers up, stationed around the field to 
each reaper, constituted a force of fifteen hands—not estimating 
the shockers. The 14 cradles on the hill were followed by an 
equal number of pickers up—making 28 hands. If my estimate of 
the comparative labor of cutting with thescythe on the highland 
and low-grounds be correct, it would have required 40 hands to 
cut and pick up the crop on the Island in the same time that the 
work was done by 15 hands with the reapers. I have not estima¬ 
ted the labor of the horses, which were changed three times a day, 
as, in the time of harvest, they would otherwise be idle. The la¬ 
bor of the hands, except that of the raker, is easier than in the 
harvest field where cradles are employed. And even ’he raker, 
when he becomes accustomed to the operation of the machine and 
learns to be deliberate—waiting till the apron is pretty well filled 
with wheat before he rakes it out, finds this work very practica¬ 
ble. By changing places occasionally with the driver, the labor 
of both is comparatively easy. 
The Reaper cutting across the beds on low grounds, does far 
better work than can be done by cradles. I never saw a low 
ground field cut so clean as that on the Island. There is far less 
loss, too, by scattering. The wheat being thrown in piles ot 
three or four sheaves, there is a saving of one third ot the number 
of pickers up. It has been customary to pay on this estate $20© 
harvest hire. In the last harvest, 1 paid only $30. Another item 
of expense, by no means inconsiderable, which js saved by the 
use of the reaper, is the feeding of a large number ot hands I 
have seen it stated that the actual saving in wheat, was halt a 
bushel to the acre, and I should think it a moderate estimate. 
The construction of the Reaper is simple. The knives did not 
require sharpening, just beginning to be rather dull atthe close o? 
the harvest I think we saved more than the cost of the reapers, 
which are uninjured, except that the knives will require sharpen¬ 
ing. We have besides two new knives to begin the next har¬ 
vest, eachreaper having an extra knife. 
I have confined my remarks to the operation of the Reaper cm 
low-grounds ; but from an experiment of a day’s.cuttnig they per¬ 
form equally well on high land where the wheat is good, and u*e 
land free from stumps and stones. 
I am so well satisfied of the uti lity of your reaper that I shall 
want another on the other side of She river before the next nai¬ 
ve si. I am, dear sir, very respectfully, yours, Ac., 
To Mr. C. H. McCormick. F* HARR1&OX 
