The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-08-01
OTTAWA frteGraber,
OTTAWA, AUGUST /, 1857.
aper Trials,


Reaper Trials.
We made a brief mention, in our last, OF
The Reaper Trial, under the auspices oil the
State Agricultural Society, at Salem The
whole affair was SO moagre, and the reports
we had seen of it SO imperfect that we eoHid
rather but little in reference to the compare
tive performances OF tie few reapers that
trere entered. The general newspaper YER
dict. however, appeared to be in favor OF
the Reaper Of our friend G. II. Rusg, OF
Ottawa.
We think the managers Of cur state agri-
cultural society adopted the best plan they
could to insure 4 failure i'll the show of
Reapers. Instead of holding out induce
ground with their reapers, they loaded them
with such monstrous fees Charging 500 Tor
the PRIVILEGE OF entering 4 nachine) and III
Vulnerable conditions and restrictions, that
few were willing TO submit to the manifest
jmpositicu.
Another Reaper Trill, however, came oil
at Urbana last week, on the farm Of James
Curtis, Esq, which was better managed, and
more satisfactory throughout. At this trial
five of the most celebrated reapers in the
country were entered, and the contest was
one Of the most animated and beautiful ever
witnessed in the state. A full and satisfac-
tory report, also, was made on the spot by
IN able hand, and the premiums " ere award
cd before the company separated. From
this report, prepared by N. L. Dunlap, Esq,
we copy the following paragraph, noticing
the separate performance of each reaper.
IL will be seen that the reaper of our friend
Rugg came out Of the contest again tri-
umphant, and took the first prize. The
secretary thus reports
ATKINS REAPER.
We first examined the work of the Atkins
Reaper. The parties in charge fancy they
are on a horse race when speed is the only
consideration and the arm of iron, with its
sinews Of steel, Is hurried through its evolu-
tons to the diScredit Of a still, sober indi-
vidual, as it should be, and the consequence
is that sedtfeTiHgs abound, and the bundles
are made Of all sizes, depending on the
growth OF grain, while the clutch, that in
geuious contrivance by the use of which the
bundles are mad. of any SIZE at pleasure,
renamed quietly in its place. We suppose
the object Of the SelfRaker is TO save labor,
but IN this case we cannot perceive It /; when
the bundles are small and unequal, requir-
ing them to be doubled before binding, there
by taking the time of an extra hand. We
would like TO see this noble machine used
as intended by its inventor, work n males
tically into the standing grain, and with Z
deliberate ard graceful sweep of It's iron fin
gers, grasp a full grown bundle and quietly
place 1t beside the Reaper. No spasmodic
twitchiug from the drivers whip making IL
scatter grain, is at all to our taste. This ma
chine should be driven slow and steady,
when it will do first rate woTA, but il was
never intended for racing.
EUGG's MACHINE.
Riggs machine looks little awkward,
like great tumble spider, rolling up the
iheaves, which it does expeditiOusly and
reatly, leaving 4 very clean stubble. 1t is
Winning laureIs, and the farmers are gather
~ about and lowering in its track
Didn't think the awkward thing would
rork So" was common expression. 1t is
!riven by two horses, cutting six feet one
nch inside the guards, laying down buadle
FER bundle with steady hand, all Of which
IRE of the right size for binding. They are
aid so compactly that the binder can grasp
hem without extra eE-rt.
:ASSY's NAcEISE-AS EXCITING CONTEST
BREAK down.
Manny's machine is evidently In the hands
of experienced men, and doing itself great
credit. 1t was one taken ont Of an ailoin-
ing field and not IN first-Tate order, the sickle
had been used some days without grinding,
and one OF the boxes was loose; but the
cutting was excellent and rakins almost as
- .C a.. p,
sional few heads full out of time, but
this was mostly owing u the horse-raciDg
spirit that the driver was imbib.ng from the
Atkins machine. The SUI was soon freely
used on this team, and they too were fully
under way. The Atkins machine was five
feet two inches inside Of guards, and that Of
Manny's five feet five Inches-a round must
be gained by the former If nc wCn,-an extra
IrhiPPcT volunteered for the Atkins team,
ami the oilcr was soon begrimned with oil
and dust. On they drove, kicking up a cloud
of dust amid the shouts of their respective
frirndS-sinews of steel and iron against
those of flesh and blood; oil was poured
Freely into the joints Of the iron raker, and
unniug down over the unconscious automa-
IN, it was soon besfimned and its polished
sauty maTrtd. Water was poured into the
Their As freely and oOZing out from the
IOusand pores, the gathering dust soon dis
used him, so that, but from his stalwart
'rm, his own E,OtAer would not have known
IN. In two hours andtwenty minutes after
&c cloud Of dust settled down, the last sheaf
as cut by both machines at the same time,
ID the excited multitude became quiet, and
.rned their attention to the other machines
ugg's makI!nf, after cutting part of its
Ork. faiit-i - the breaking OF a spur
heel which was cracked in driving it Oh
shaft, ana not noticed until in the field.
new one was sent for, but only arrived in
ne to Try the draft.
SEYNOUKS SELF-EAKER.
The Self-Raker of Seymour * Morgan
iich We have before called Oh Stark
-aouth, from the peculiar way in which 1t
rounces on the bundle was working steadily
away, doing excellent work, but docs not
lay the bundles So comPactly as from the
hand rake, yet doing this part of the work /.
much better than the Atkins rake. 1t made .
many new friends and confirmed the waver-
ing Of old ones. IL was drawn by two i
hoyses OF ordinary size, and had no appear
ance Of being ia hurry, but aiming at do I
ting the work well. This, We think, is the
true way of making 4 fair trial.
The following was the result Of the trial
Of the draft Of the different machines:
with
OF cut Time Rate for
fas5I- Amt o. I0hour. Dr'n