New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-18

The National Trial of Agricultural Implements
(Reapers and Mowers) now proceeding at Syracuse
marks an era in our history and in that q Indus
trial Progress. The fact that Governors and other
eminent functionaries are in daily and deeply inter-
ested attendance is of secondary consequence,
though we think them deserving of credit for this
cooperation. Some of them are good farmers at
home. and have devoted time and money to the pro-
motion of Agricultural Improvement in their sew
era localities. Conspicuous among these is the
Governor of our own State. Gov. MOrehead Of
Kentucky deserves especial thanks for coming so
far to attend this Trial, and we trust the favor will
be returned by a generous attendance of Eastern
meD at the National Fair which is to be held this
October as has been generally published, but on
the lst'of September-a more convenient season.
The President of the National Society, Col NJ.
Z. Wilder of Massachusetts, has deserved a still
more emphatic acknowledgment. He is not in
public life and we believe does not aspire to be;
he has by diligence in business acquired cOmpe-
tence, and has attained an age at which most men
in comfortable circumstances are inclined to throw
aside the cares and labOrs Of active life and enjoy
that repose for which they have hOnorably strug-
gled 90 long. Yet Col Wilder continues to give
bis me, his means, and bis best energies to the
cause of Agricultural Progress, with the enthus-
asm of youth and a constancy betting the prime
of life. Long may he live to pursue his career of
honorable usefulness ard at its close may fit sue
cestor be found to follow in his footsteps.
Tue most striking feature of the Trial, however,
10 that presented by the Inventors there congre-
gated-generally sun-browned, firm. built men, with
features scanned by thought and many disap-
pOintmeht and anxious care, but with strong heads
and faces beamipg with intelligence and talent
We were pointed out, among these, the first man
who ever made machine that moved grass salts
factOrily by horse power. How many approxlma-
tons failures, frutess efforts, preceded this sue
cess, we could easily imagine-hOw often prudent
friends demonstrated against this obstinate pursuit
of a chimera while profitable work was neglected,
landlord camOrous for rent and children crying for
bread. We could only hope that his final triumph
had made him generous amends for the necessary
sacrifices and priyations of the preceding struggle.
Aud thus to all inyentOrs-to all who earnestly labor
and dare for the attainment of ends of signal and
widespread benefcence-we heartily wish
que dOn prOportoned to their efforts and their
achievements.
OF the results of the Trial, we have nothing at
this time to say. We leave these tO the able aud
eminent Judges chosen from among the most ntelli-
gent and capable farmers of the United States, who
are still devotng themselves to their task with con-
sc,entious and patient assiduity. We heard some
CO complaint from exhibitors Of the delay and expense
involved in the judges methods Of procedure-and
it might well seem hard TO men whose expenses
were necessarily heavy, and whose means were
possibly light, to be kept standing under brolDg
suD, with team and attendants all ready to start,
for hours and perhaps days before they could be
set to work. But this, in trial on so large
scale, was probably inevitable Here were over
forty Mowers and Reapers on the ground Ito say
bothng of the fifty which had been entered but
failed to come to the test, and each of them was
entitled to a fair trial. The Judges deemed no
performance conclusive that did not take place
under their own eyes and while their attention was
exclusively concentrated on this particular machine.
1t would have been far easier of course, to
of to each machine its acre, set u man to time 1t,
and sfterward to examine the has or grain and the
stubble; but this would have afforded only most
in perfect and nconclusiye test Of the relative mer
its of the rival machines. Trde, there
thousands with whom the award of the Judges will
ia no case be- convincing; but there arc very many
with whom il VIII exert nntural influences and it
is of the gIaycst Importance that this award shall
be well grounded anu just. Better devote u fort
night to reaching correct conclusions than rest salts
fed with any other.
The test Of the DynaDometer (power measurer),
which the Judges were intent on applying when
We left them at work on Thursday afternoon, is
one of the most important and necessary. We
thought the desire u cut on acre quickly was
entirtl, too influential with majority of the
exhibitors whose performance We witnessed. Now
this comparative celebrity is msbirstly qlte rs
much matter of horse. flesh as Of perfection in
machinery. A pair Of Londca dray horses would
probably take auy one Of the SIX or eight best
machines on the ground and cut an acre of grass
quicker than any machine actually did cut it; but
what would that prove. ar the objects OF thi.
Trial are regarded We see it stated that under
The scorcbing sun Of last Tuesday. the twenty
machines put first into the grass cut an acre each
ia an average of less thar forty five minutes. Now
it may be true that most of thsee machines will