The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-13

In ths country and in Epgla and Of rival reapes aud
mowers by various agricultural associations during
the present year. The Economist, London journal
of high character, sums up the more important tests
Of the respective merits Of rival machines which
have been made during the late harvest in England
as follows -
REAPING MACHINES.
We have purposely abstained from commenting
upon the various accounts of the progress made in
resping corn by machine, until the termination OF
the harvest should enabs us to form some estimate
OF the success OF this new class of Instruments and
to ascertain which of the several competing reaping
machines has proved the most effective Enough
has been done by the OF the reaping machine 10
prove that ere long II will in great measure sd.
persede hand reaping on large farms. Even
great economy is obtained by using the machine,
and there seems reason 60 believe that great in
provements will be made in The different machines
now be- ere the public Tho following reports
comparative trials made between rival reaping ma.
chimes. The first Was trial between Husseys Anne
rican machine, as manufactured By CroskiIl, and
Mr.. Bells original Scotch machine. The trial took
place on the farm Of Mr.. WATSON, OF heIlor, IN the
presence of numerous party of distinguished land
owners and agricultuIalisEs The award of tho
judges was strongly in favor of Be,'s machine The
following is the practical portion of the report
This two other machines then set TO work SINH
lar lots Of ground; and Auey's under the supernten
dence of Mr. Love cut about two thirds or the prescribed
quantity within the forty i've minutes, while, for some
not explained the osher did not complete It's task
As these two machines nearly similar, with the
ception q thst exhibited by Lord hinrald, which had
endless cloth revolving directly In the track of the
machine, and nten leo TO facilitate the delivery of the
in straight line behind it. the work performed by
them nearly alike We found. on examination that
the breadth cut about three feet and half &c h
time; and though the stabble was well cut up hill aud
when the machine worked against the inclination Of the
barley yet quite the contrary hill whore the
stalks were often dragged and lett uncut Indeed,
difficulty, that after the round he avoided cutting
down hill at all and confined himself TO working up hin
exclusively, by which nearly one half Of the time
lost The stops these two machines were also much
more frequent than with Bell arising from stones and
other impedment as well as from ths cutters driving
into the ground which not oy caused great delay but
also ran much risk in damaging the machines irrepars
bly, From the shortness and peculiar construction of
the cutters Ii appeared to that they much too
liable to choke or clog particularly when they in
contact with anything green lying at angle from
them which rendered IL often necessary to stop the
chines order to have the teeth cleared the impede
ments otherwise removed
When the trial at the barley completed the par.
ties adjourned 10 the wheat ed and Bells machine first
charged directly Into the and large for
itself upwards OF SIX feet in breadth laying the wheat
which was exceedingly heavy crop, in q perfectly
straight line and peculiarly well placed for the binders
The respng Of this heavy appeared to be compare
lively easy work after the barley and the easy mastery
way in which it cut down, without any apparent diff
hculty or noise gave general satisfaction Three qusr
tiers of an acre We're within the halfhour at the
rate Of within the three quarters while the Stub
bic appeared beautifully clean and well cut and delays
,n. TOOK place the ITO by Bells
set to work and comp eted half each in shorter
time and with greater ihan with the barley hs
stubble exhibited of those inequalities which marked
the down bill work IT the other crop.
With regard to the relative merits OF the different ma
chimes 1t rs evident that two OF them imta TONS but
not improvements OF Mr. Bells original one and with
the exception of their being lighter aud more
portable when not actually work and more easily
turned they do What We consider the leading
and important features Of his while though doing only
two thirds Of the work they appear be distressing to
the men and horses that work them.
In the FIRST place, then, consider Bells cutting
shears much superior 10 the knives chise of aus
sey's that they do the work in much easier and eff
fectve and not liable the stops and DELAYS
We have alluded to they calculated to Tighten
the horses not omed to them Husseys noisy
choppers are apt TO do We also think that the
wheel with the spiral thread around it, work the cut
ting shears In Bell is most ingenious improvement
and adds greatly to the easy and effective working of the
machine
In the next place, Bell does by simple and ingenious
machinery what Hussey attempts to do by manual labor,
viz to gather the with the revolving fan and in
cline it at the proper angle to the cutters
liver fom the machine by the endless web so as to
place it In convenient position for the binders Another
advantage incident to the original machine that the
horses popel it before and can charge all at once
Into the centre OF the heaviest crop for
Themselves without the corr the end
Less web works both ways 1t delivers the unsrn My
by shifting the gear at while the others must
way hrst cleared Tor them BY before they
commence their work.
The next extract is ftom the report Of a CON nit
toe Ct the Drifield Farmers Club 10 Yorkshire, in
trial between Hussey's and McCormicks machines
in which the decision in favor of the latter and
the following contains their reasons for that de-
cisioD
Mccormick's machine is six feet vide, and Husseys
hve but as 1t would be impossible always to keep up
inches less is all that be calculated upon and at
those widths viz. five. and half and four and half
feet ana the horses moving at speed Of two
ana half nee an houl "a speed which your committee
would recommend) Husseys machine would in five and
a.bal hours cut exactly and half while in
the same time, and With full little horse power,
NcCormicks machine would do nine acres twenty
six poles. Another matter worthy of consideration
is, that enc only is needed to drive the horses
in McCamiok's machine the horses being yoked
abeast while two necessary in Hussey's the
hortes having to Graw in line McCormick's machine
adj in hayfp uAa%a
reel which without any injury to the corn, materially
assists The man who pulls away the sheaves, and gives
him better opportunity Of adjusting their size. But
the greatest superiority OF AcCormicks machine over
Hussey which your committee ave to notice is that
the sheaves, when pulled OIL laid in such way not
TO mpeoe lis working 20 that two and 20 horses
may move on uninteruptedy leaving the rest Of the Ia
borers 10 be otherwise employed while in Hu,seys the
sheayes are left behind and sufficient number Of work
men IT, consequently requisite to remove them, that
the mschine may This your committee need not
point out grave ohjec ion especially when the
crops much mixed with clover seeds and when it is
detirabe let the sheaves remain unboand for few
days Your committee are further Of opinion thai from
the violent reverbsory motion impaired to every part of
Husseys machine durability Is not to be expected and
that the form Of the terraed cutters in Ac0ormcs
chine is far preferable TO the deeply ndentd cutters in
Husseys and that they will not nearly often need
renewing In giving decided preference 70 McCormicks,
their opinions were unanimous
The report concludes with the following very
sepsible remarks on the effect produced the acri-
cultural aborers by the increased use Of machinery
in husbsndry -
As your committee nave already stated their opinion
OF the utility OF well constructed reafiug machines
the interests Of the farmers n may not be improper to
state hat their opinion will be their effect upon na
condition Of that useful and necessary class the farmers
abores They conceive they would be at no loss for
guments to prove that in whatever branch of industry
machinery has been the most extensively efu the
dtiop Of the operatives (however paradocsl it may
pear has been improved In corresponding degree For
proof Of the truth Of this assertion your COMMITTEES need
not 60 into the West Riding Lanca hire ut may
6De them seves TO branch Of our industry mmedi
atey under the observation Of connected with
agriculture; and fact Is worth many Arguments
they may call attention 20 the effects that thrahing
chimes drilf, and many other implements for facilitating
and esstning the operations Of agriculture
have had upon the condition q the aborer and shall
find that nos outstanding the immense increase OF the
sborDg poor upon limited surface md their improved
condition that their predicted fears ofthe bsefu effects
Of the introduction Of machinery altogether Chi
erica and unfounded and that instead OF considering
themselves likely to be injured BY the shfng Of severe