There are so many inventions specially applied to reapers and mowers, the interested inventors and manufacturers each claiming superiority and most of them really valuable, yet in many instances so similar in construction and application to the purposes for which they were intended, that to discriminate between them or draw lines of difference, requires the eye of a practical and thorough mechanic or the good judgment of an adept. Neither of these qualifications are unfortunately possessed by the writer. In class of reapers, I find eighteen entries, twenty-four mowers, twelve combined machines and sundry and divers attachments, a catalogue of which would be a large volume in comparison to what this report must necessarily be. But their value as labor-saving machines is of such vast importance that they are by right entitled to the best consideration. Indeed, their use is now so interwoven with the industrial pursuits, that they are entitled to positions of the first national importance. To measure their value, but imagine that their use should be prohibited for a year in the United States, thus bankrupting the whole country. An army equal in number to that of the late war, on both sides, could not supply the labor now being saved by this important class of machinery alone. However, these advantages are so ably set forth in special publications upon the subject, that we need not occupy space with their repetition. REAPERS. Entry No. 2.-Improvement on Excelsior machine; Geo. Stephenson, inventor, Zionsville, Indiana; patented July 6th, 1869: who claims improvement in dropper rod and motion, being easily worked by the driver, and perfectly under his control. Entry No. 3.-Manny's Combined Reaper and Mower, N. C. Thompson, Rockford, Ill.; Wm. G. Rap, agent. Revolving rake, or self-raker; works easily; strikes in front of cutter-bar; delivers sheaf in a compact condition; can be easily changed to suit heavy or light straw; both ends of platform and sickle-bar can be easily raised or lowered, at command of driver; tongue hung on hinge, thus making the draft easy on the team; has one large driving-wheel, and can be turned square at the corners; guards can readily be turned up or down, to either avoid obstructions, or to pick up fallen grain; length of sickle, five feet. The improved pitman appears to be a good improvement. Price of machine, $185. Can use Seiberling's dropper attachment. Entry No. 4. Improved Quaker, Stetson's patent, C. N. Omer, agent; manufactured at Salem, Ohio. Drive wheels 40 inches in diameter, wooden spokes and felloes, iron tire, uses Seiberling's dropper with Tabor's improved dividingrod; revolving rod on stand post worked by chain; revolving motion behind the wheel; no weight on the team's neck; easily raised or lowered; to cut sixteen inches; dropper well under the control of the driver's foot for all classes of grain; turning on center driving wheel, easily thrown into or out of gear, when in slow motion. Length of sickle-bar five feet; claims to cut five feet three inches; works well. Entry No. 5.-Combined reaper, self or hand raker. Inventor and agent same as entry No. 4. Date of patent and place of manufacture same as combined mower, entry No. 15. Platform machine rake, runs by direct power from the machine; no chains; can be controlled by driver for heavy or light grain. This is a single wheel machine, all iron gearing; its draft appears to be quite central. Seat easily raised or lowered. Fingers, maleable iron, with steel plate cutter-bar. Length of sickle-bar five feet; cut claimed five feet three inches. Entry No. 6.-D. M. Osborne & Co., Auburn, New York, Self-raking Reaper. Length of cut, five feet six inches; portable platform; driver has control of gearing; can lower or raise cutter-bar and platform at pleasure; is a single wheel machine, all iron gearing, solid and permanent. Price, $150. Entry No. 7.-Combined Reaper and Mower. Name of machine, "Plain Dutchman." By Hoglin & Grafflin, Dayton, Ohio. George M. Hoglen, agent; inventors, Messrs. Miller & Kersting. A self-raker, and under the control of driver, enabling him to make large or small sheaves. Driving wheels thirty-six inches high, the gearing being attached to both wheels, and a fair center-draft. Reel and reel-post adjustable at pleasure. Length of sickle bar five feet; claimed to cut five feet six inches; is adjustable so as to cut right or left; the cutter bar lowered or raised as may be desirable, with a movable seat. The reel may also be raised or lowered, at the option of the workman. Is run by rope belt connecting driving wheel. Entry No. 8.-Mansfield Machine Works, Mansfield, Ohio, Combined Reaper and Mower, with dropper attachment. (Inventor and agent, see entry No. 17.) Cuts five feet eight inches, swarth six feet; slot dropper attachment. Seiberling's dropper used by adjustable lever, at perfect command of driver. The hand or foot may be used on drop lever; is quickly changed from reaper to mower; the dropper works well. This machine appears to be of easy draft. Entry No. 9.-Reaper, Mower and Self-raker combined, G. B. and C. Smith, Wooster, Ohio. "Dodge Reaper and Mower, large machine, No. 1," gear and cut about the same as No. 10. Cuts wider and has larger platform. Entry No. 10. Date of patent, inventor and agent same as No. 18. The Dodge self-raker is used; 4 rakes, either or all under the control of driver. One or all may be used, as heavy or iight grain may require. Platform raised or lowered by chain attachment to driving wheel; can be thrown out of gear while under motion. while under motion. Cuts four feet nine inches. Entry No. 11. Beardsley, Hill & Co., Auburn, New York, Auburn Harvester, Cyrus Wheeler, inventor, M. M. Johnston, agent. Date of patents, May 26th, 1861, April 21st, 1868, July 14th, 1868, November 17th, 1868, and December 15th, 1868. Self Rake attached by chain to driving wheel, by pressure, well under the control of the driver by the use of a convenient lever. Size of sheaf may be regulated at will of driver; has but one driving wheel; gearing protected by iron shields; cutter guards adjustable, may be taken apart and ground. Cut six feet. Entry No. 12. Whiteley, Fassler & Kelly, Self-Raking Reaper, (see cut as Self-Raker, on page 475) "Champion." By J. George Stilz, dealer at Indianapolis, O. S. Kelly, general agent. Price of machine, $210,00. Patented April 29th, 1856, and April 28th, 1868, and a large number of improvements claimed. This rake is an ingenious arrangement, and will rake without the driver, though the reel and reel stand are well under his control; reel working by chain attachment; frame iron, and very strong; gearing easily adjusted to suit the grain; two large drive wheels, a good arrangement generally; easily thrown out of gear; cutter-bar five feet long; swarth, five feet six inches; cutter-bar easily raised or lowered. Entry No. 13. Whiteley, Fassler & Kelly, Self Dropping-Rake. By J. George Stilz, agent, Indianapolis, (see page 475.) "Champion." Self-Dropper. This is a powerful machine, and the dropper is perfectly under the control of the driver, who can regulate the size of sheaves to a nicety. Cutter-bar and appurtenances easily adjusted by lever. Entry No. 14. J. D. Easter, Chicago, Illinois. "Marsh Harvester." Invented by Marsh Brothers, hence, its name we mention this as the impression from the name might lead persons to suppose that it was a machine peculiarily adapted to marshes, or wet ground. E. L. Stugar, general agent. Patented August 17th, 1858, January 5th, 1864, February 14th, 1865, etc. Price, $230,00. A single wheel machine; self-raker, two men ride on the machine and bind all the grain cut, which is delivered to the binder by a revolving belt from cutter-bar and platform; length of |