The mechanical or self-delivery machines, as they are generally called, are of two kinds—one lays the cut corn in swaths, the other deposits it in sheaves. The law: is decidedly the best and most fashionable of the two.
The automaton sheaf-deliverers best known to the public are those of Samuelson of Banbury; Hornsby kt Son ; Burgess & Key; Brigham Sr, Bickerton, Berwick; Howard & Co., Bedford. We give a description of Saznuelson's sheaf-deliverer (largely used in Great Britain). The self-delive•ing machinery consists of a series of four rakes—two toothed, and two plain—attached to an upright shaft, in such a manner as to admit of a free ascending, descending, and horizontal motion. The two toothless rakes, or "dum mies," are shorter in the arms by 6 in. than the other two, and are employed to incline the grain toward the cutter. The platform upon which the grain falls after it is cutt is of quadrant shape, and is surrounded, on the outer edge, by a rim 'of about a foot deep. The side of the can next the platform is bent or depressed, so that the rakes on reaching this point, make a sudden fall, or eccentric motion, thus assuming the horizon tal attitude necessary to sweep over the platform on the level. The rakes are adjusted so as to lay the sheaves about 12 ft. apart, to the side, and out of the way of the horses. This machine has a double-throw knife—an arrangement which reduces the driving speed, and consequently the wear and tear of the machinery.
In M'Cormick's automatic delivery-machine, a rake is so used that "during one part of the revolution of the gathering-reel it acts as one of the vanes of the reel in bending the standing corn to the cutting-blades, When the rake reaches the cutting-blades in front of the platform, it ceases to revolve around the reel-shaft (which continues its rotary motion), and is made to move horizontally upon a vertical hinge, to which one end is attached (the points of the teeth being near the surface of the platform). sweeping the cut corn off at the side, and depositing it on the ground in sheaves really for the binder." The Messrs. Brigham & Bickerton's improved machine has a deep upright board of sheet-iron to keep the corn on the platform. Iron rods on these sheets separate the corn. This firm has thrown off two branches lately. The first off-shoot was Messrs. Lillie & Elder, and the last was Bickerton & Co. The three firms make good serviceable reapers. Howard's and Hornsby's reapers are substantially and simply con structed, embracing slight improvements every other year, formed on experience. Prices
ran rre from £20 to £35.
The makers of manual delivery-machines are numerous, including in a prominent degree Kemp, Murray & Nicholson, Stirling; Jack & Sons, Maybole; Harrison, Mac gregor & Co. ; Picksley, Sims & Co.: Rausome, Sims & Head, Ipswich; Samuelson & Co., Banbury; J. & F. Howard, Bedford; and many others of fame. The manual delivery-machines .of the first-named firm are very popular, strong, and ingeniously manufactured, while those of the Maybole firm are not quite so strong, but work with great 'ease and tastefulness. Carefully handled, the manual delivery-reaper will take up laid and twisted crops admirably. Indeed, all the reapers nowadays, perfected as they are year by year, now do their work remarkably well, leaving a beautiful stubble and a nice sheaf. The sheaves from the reaper, however, are not so easily dried for the stockyard as those from the scythe, but they defend rain better, and are altogether preferable. The number of reapers now in use in Great Britain is enormous, and is growing rapidly every year. They are a most decided improvement. Indeed, they are one of the most .valuable introductions that have been made in rural agriculture in this country. At almost every farm of ordinary or even comparatively small dimensions, there is a reaper, and three or four engaged on the larger holdings. The cost of the manual delivery ranges from :£18 to ..-q30.
The cost of reaping by machinery is much less than either by scythe or sickle. Mr. Wilson of Woodhorn, Morpeth, found that the cutting of wheat with the sickle (binding ,and stocking included) cost him from lls. to 15s. per acre, and with the scythe Ss., while with the machine it only cost him 5s. Od., exclusive of wear and tear. From data supplied by a large number of their customers, Messrs. Samuelson & Co. make out that saving by mechanical over hand labor is, as compared with reaping, 4s. per acre, and with mow Is. 9d. per acre; and most farmers who have tried reaping-maehines set down the saving at from 20 to 30 per cent. Besides, there is about a like economy in'time, which is •of immense importance in a variable climate like that of Great Britain.—See Woodcroft's 4ppendix to Patents for Reaping-machines; Mr. Jacob Wilson's " Essays on Reaping -machines," in Transactions of llighland Society for January, 1864; _Book of Farm plements, and Book of the Farm, by Henry Stephens; J. C. iorton's Cyclopodia Agri culture.