The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-26
Trial of Moving Machines at West
Mount Vernon.

afternoon, under the auspices of committee Of
the American Institute appointed for the occasion,
at West Mount Vernon Westchester county. The
place selected owiying piece of ground, of some
four or five acres bordering the Bronx river ada
the village and covered with rather uxuriant
growth of timothy redop and the grasses. In
places the ground very soft, and at times added
greatly TO the draught of the machines
The machines the ground were Of four distinct
patterns although very much alike all essential points,
the cutting principle being the This principle
seems to admit of little improvement at present-the
chief aim of manufacturers being to make
chimes as light possible consistent with strength
as lessen the draught The old machines very
heavy-unnecessary So as it seems now-and were ex-
trcmcy laborious to draw for any length Of time
The machines used yesterday of the kind denomi
mated combined reapers and mowerstbat is they could
be used for either purpose by slight alterations such
longer shorter cutting bar the addition of raker
binder, sc.
Haf-past O'Clock was the hour appointed for the
trial but did not take place until about hreeentirey
too late in the day any satisfactory results
The consequence of this delay was that competition was
limited to the cutting OF few swaths by the several
mach mes respectively; and the final test which to
have taken place on another piece OF ground did not
come of ut all
SO far as porceptibc all the machines worked admira
bly,, considering the nature OF the ground and the dsad
vantage Of cutting in places wher, the grass badly
laid by heavy rains The general impression among
spccia ,rs was that their merits were about equal or at
least could only be determined by further and
curate trial and the Of the barometer may be
remarked, however that none of the machines cut
wide swath practically they protested to do theO
rctcay or VII CHI there apparent reasons, other
than existed in the nature Of the ground and the slow
driv ng The teams all good much better than we
generally tho hands of OF the items
of rarely omitted by such have machines to
exhibit.
The cutting Of frain and grass with reapers and
became common in sections Of this country,
particularly in The West, SOME seventeen eighteen
ago The harvesting OF grain has not been so much
oh apcned facilitated by these substitutes for manral
labor In the absence Of labor to the extent demanded
this has been Important for without IL much less grain
would have been grown.
The first attempt in this country to harvest grain by
machinery by drawing heads within a cylinder
filed with tech, 10 thrcsli it rs the machine moved
forward into III" solid array Of pko cts but this would
answer only on fully npencd grain that stood up well
There was also liability 10 great waste.
rho headline machines they called. often
satis actory available large farms ut the ST but MS
che great majority of farmers in the Fast grow much less
than hundred acres of wheat in year the large out
lay necessary in the prrchase % these machines las
tendency to render them unpopular with small tand-
In addit other drawback has been discovered
In prac &c TIA, L the Grain IS not fully rrc when the
heads cut off the grain viii sbrivcl mp and when
placed in srcks Is liable mould. In the cudcavor to
remedy this the heads have been OF with much Of
the straw attached bui ths adds seriously To the bulk
and The tabor OF thrcshing In these headers endless
is arranged IT, carry the CT grain wagon
drawn aion. side 10 been proposes! 10 lower The
cutting bar and arrange the apron that the cnt grain
shall be deposited on ia Ilaor whore two alter
nalcly bind these bundles rs they come to hand
The great labor OF binding LIS in walking from
gavcl ~ another, and IN stopping To take 10 from tie
ground The Improvement noticed above viii Il is be-
licycd olyiac this impcdiment and mater ally sscn
The amo1n. Of labor requisite
Tho comparative cost or harvesting by The machnes
alluded 10 above, and also by manual labor clone
exhibited by The following tables or co sse the value
OF labor wares greatly, and at best the estimates
only approximate the actual cost IN money. rho limo
consumed, however IS very Clearly detn a. and Is an
iten. OF vital importance Ia Wow Of atmospheric contn
genci's We take twenty acres as a basis:-
HARVESTING TwENTY AcENs OF WHEAT
Two span Of horses per day Observation-Disclosures. 50 90
Five mon at 81 3d. 80
Use of machine &c............ ................ 80
Total .......................sIs 90
Or net cost Of ninety cents per
RsArtRs
Two span of horses, two days .............. 81 90
One driver, two days, at 81 50.............. 3 90
Ten days binding and shocking .............. Is 90
TS,a ,,., =, -; 20
One span OF horses two days. ............,. 81 90
One driver. two 90
one binder Two DAYS ..'....................... 90
Sn0cNihB W. louf s,...'.'.'............... 90
WIRE ................... .................... 90
use OF machine, 20
Iotas S2T %
With HANDWRITING reaper the cost is increased some
three dollars on the twcnt, acres.
HARVESTING ny HAND.
One GRADER, eight days. 90
Unc hnhcr eisht days.. 10 90
foH "ys quo KING uP'.....t... W
TOTAL ssS 90
With hand wheel rake four dollars can be saved on
ia estimate.
There is another machine called reaper which is
really an efficient and labor saving instrument 10 this
reaper serakes have b en- added and also binders 10
some extent several years ago rcnpers made with
platforms 80 constructed thai three binders and The
raker could ride About eight acres a day could be cut
and snlcked 10y this mode The bundles were PLACED
false platform as fast rs bound and when sufficient
had accumulated for shock spring was drawn back
aud tue whole was Sid Oh the WEIGHT Of the platform
bringing II back to It's place
Attempts ATE now being made to combine the auto
matte rake and bindcls, that the former will oliver
the gavcs 10 The .t BY this means aud The aid OF
to ulVer ana ohcssisian six foot ewath can be cut
ana bound at one operation. As this will cut twelve
acres day. the cost Of cutting and binding viii be greatly
reduced One serious item OF expense however II The
wire Gsed amounting to about twentyh cents
goroner's Tnquest.
A SfaANGEa DnowyED--On Monday evening,
known man. about sSty years Of age and apparently
German omigrart fell the dock at the foot Of White
han street and was drowned Tho body was suisse
qucny recovered and Coroner Collin held inquest on
H. Deceased was about Ave feet inches in height
with sandy hair but no whiskers lie had on a black
cloth coat vest gray woolon pants white linen and
muslin shirt white muslin drawers shoes and red neck
uc The jury rendered verdict Of Death 10y