The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-02
A CENTENNIAL LETTER.

no small degree from the attractions of their
exhibition. In several instances ladies who
have offered articles of the greatest value
have been en- neglected or fatty refused exhib-
ings are seen as the crowds flock to them il
other departments the directors of the Wo-
mems building would take them in. Nota-
bly, is this the case with Mrs Maxwell, the
huntress of Colorado, who wrote them, more
than year ago, asking permission to exhibit
Ill their department, her collection of 200
animals, including all the native fauna of
! Colorado, except the stone marten and per-
haps one or two others-and 800 stuffed birds
in cases, birds nests, &c., all prepared. and
most OF them gathered by her own hand
| But they never answered her application I'M
til about a month before the time for starting,
and till after she had arranged with the Coz
orado Commission to exhibit in the Colorado
! department. And then they wrote her that
her letter had been overlooked, and they
would like to hear from her again. They
did not offer her a place in their Department..
1t is no disparagement to other exhibitors to
say, that there is nothing exhibited in the
Women's department that excites halt the
interest or attention that Mrs. Maxwell's ex-
hibit does.
TRIAL OF REAPERS AND BINDERS
was held the past week, at Schenck's station.
! some twenty miles north of here, on the line
Of machines on exhibition here, participated
in the trial. Director General Goshorn. by a
published hand-bill. had announced that the
competitive trial, ordered some time ago.
! would not be held, for reason not given, but
that voluntary trial by exhibitors might be
made. And Superintendent Landreth gave
notice that such trial would be held on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week.
! was there to see OH my own responsibility,
and at my own expense, and followed the
machines for some five hours, under blaz-
ing hot sun, and at another time shall give
the result OF my observations. At present I
wish to speak of reapers and reaper trials in
general. As to competitive trials, my ma
tured conviction, after long observation, is
that usually they are great sham. Almost
always, majority of the judges are composed
OF men incompetent to determine the real
merits OF the competing machines. They are
not experts, and are not half so we'll qualified
to judge justly, as majority of farmers who
use these machines. 1t is rare that even one
expert can be found upon any committee, or
that the award made at such trials command
general confidence. Apropos of this subject,
a good story is told, which, if not true, at
least represents truly the popular belief 1t
is said that Mr.. lambeth, the Superintendent
of Agricultural Hall, wrote to Mr. Reynolds,
Exposition there, asking him what he
! thought would he the effect OF holding COM
| petitive trials of Agricultural machinery, and
bestOwing awards. Mr.. Reynolds, it is said.
replied that it would work great injury but
! tor one reason, and that was, that nobody
| now was fool enough to care anything for
| such awards.
| BUYING MEDALS.
In addition to the incompetence Of the
judges, there is the liability to he influenced
to render partial Judgment to tavorites.
! Wealthy machine makers having had long
experience in this business, with medals and
stars emblazoned all over their banners, as tro-
phies OF former contests, enter the field deter
mined to win new laurels, and are not al.
ways over-scrupulous as to the means OF OBJ
tanning the victory. Indeed, the renowned
commanders of well-disciplined armies might
take lessons in strategetic tactics, and in the
art OF mining and saping, OF these veteran
knights OF the harvest field. And the judges,
sometimes in the innocence of their souls
and sometimes with sinister motives, scarce
~ concealed, walk right into the trap set fol
them, and often render verdict that has nc
more relation to the facts of the trial, than q
proposition in Euclid has to the fables Of
Esop: These judges are often appointed by
the influence OF prominent manufacturers
and there is often as much partisanship man
Tested at these trials, as in a political caucus
l speak OF what have seen and what know
The field selected for the trial was very
large one, and the grain on the south side
stood upright, but that on the north and
| west part was quite crimpled with heads in.
terlocked, and some of it was badly lodged
And the grain was too ripe and the straw
very brittle. Any fair reaper can cut and lay
decently upright grain but the test is, vii
Few OF those OH the ground could cut and de.
liver lodged grain. Most of them cut up
right grain well enough, but only :. small
number laid the bundles smoothly and even.
ly. lndeed,s all OF the revolving arm-rake
reapers lay the bottom of the bundle cross.
wise, as any one can see by examining it.
THE EsTERLY REAPER, OF WHITEWATER, WIS
with reel and one arm-rake working in
quarter circle, is the only machine here tina
lays the bundle perfectly even. Equal to any
in all other respects, it excels all others il
this.
But reapers have had their day, and hence
forth harvesters and binders are to take the
lead. "A good harvester saves the labor O
two men, Tor two men can bind as fast as
harvester can cut, but it takes tour men t.
bind after a reaper. The imperfections of al
not separate the bundles, and hence in bind
ing there is always some scattering and waste
that they all use canvas with belts and. roll
ers to carry the grain, and as the canvas
stretches in dry, and shrinks in damp wealth
er, and the straw winds around the rollers
and the Leaves and fine straw clogs the gud
geons, they are continually getting out of or
der and cause much delay in adjusting ant
cleaning.
EsTERLY AND SONS HARvEsTERs
dispense with all this machinery, and a re-
voiy'ng and vibrating rake strikes the butt!
OF the cut grain and carries it up and on to
transverse table where it is pushed by re-
versible rake to the binders If the grain i.
I light TWO bundles need make but one. Boil