THE CULTIVATOR 
Sept, 
312 
View of the Grounds and Trial of Reapers in the Barley Field , July 22. 
Trial of Agricultural Machines at Geneva. 
The trial of agricultural machines took place on a large 
farm two miles south-west of the village of Geneva, un¬ 
der the direction of the New-York State Agricultural 
Society, during the six days from the 20th to the 26th 
of 7 mo. (July; last. The importance of such a trial 
has long been felt, and the interest in its results was mani¬ 
fested by the hundreds in attendance, chiefly of the most 
intelligent farmers of that region, during the busiest sea¬ 
son of their labors. 
Our State Fairs have for many years exerted an ex¬ 
cellent influence, by showing to the whole community the 
best implements and machines from the most skilful 
manufacturers, and serving to introduce them into many 
neighborhoods where they where before quite unknown. 
The benefits thus conferred and the improvements intro¬ 
duced are almost beyond estimate. Yet a great deficien¬ 
cy was felt in not seeing these machines and implements 
in actual operation; they may have a very promising ap¬ 
pearance, but shrewd farmers, who dread humbugs, are 
not satisfied with simply gazing upon them motionless. 
Practical trial alone reveals the difference between a 
mower which will cut freely and shave like a razor, and 
another which chokes, tears, and slides over the uncut 
grass. A remarkable instance of this sort occurred in 
the case of McCormick’s reaper, remaining on exhibition 
at the world’s fair, which afforded abundant sport to the 
London Times, as a cross between Astley’s chariot and 
a flying machine, until by the demonstration of actual 
trial, it elicited the admiration and astonishment of the 
British people. Some instances of an opposite character 
have also occurred, which it would be rather ungracious 
to mention. For such reasons as these, we are induced 
to regard the exact and thorough experiments made at 
Geneva, although not of a showy character, of eminent 
utility and of the highest importance, even if accompa¬ 
nied by some imperfections necessarily consequent to what 
is new. —- 
The Mowing Machines. 
The whole of the 20th was occupied with the trial of 
mowing machines, in the presence of nearly a thousand 
spectators. The meadow was rough, and the crop much 
Back view of Ketchum's Mowing Machine in operation. 
too light generally for a fair trial—the small wiry grass 
was a severe test for the cutting powers of the several 
machines. Ketchum’s from Buffalo ; McCormick’s, 
from Chicago; Manny’s, from northern Illinois; and 
Rugg’s, from the same region,—were successively tried. 
Ketchum’s was much approved for its simplicity of con¬ 
struction, and the clean cut which it made, shearing off 
evenly all before the sweep of its blades. Its swath was 
nearly five feet wide, and was laid with perfect evenness 
over the whole surface of the ground, and entirely ob¬ 
viated spreading. The only objection we heard was not 
cutting sufficiently close to the ground, but several farm¬ 
ers remarked that taken as an average it was done as 
well as men could be hired to do it by hand. McCor¬ 
mick’s did not succeed so well, cutting neither so clean 
nor so near the surface, but in heavier portions of the 
meadow, its w r ork was good. It swath was six feet. 
Manny's Motver. 
Manny’s “Northern Illinois Mower” was next tried, and 
did its work in beautiful style, fully equalling, if not ex¬ 
celling Ketchum’s, cutting a swath over five feet in w'idth. 
The general opinion was that it was of quite easy draught 
to the horses, but this point could be determined satis- 
