DESCRIPTION OF CHAMPION REAPER AND MOWER, No. 2. This machine is made almost entire of wrought iron, combining great strength with little weight. It has two driving wheels, acting independent of each other, and also of the main frame and cutter bar, thereby permitting the wheels to conform to the undulations of the ground over which they pass, without affecting the cutters. The cutter bar is cast steel, with wrought iron fingers, and is flexibly attached to the main frame, and free to adjust itself to the uneven surface of the ground, independent of the main frame or driving wheels. The machine can be turned in either direction without stopping the motion of the knife. The driver can raise the cutters over stumps, stones or other obstructions, while the machine is in motion, by means of a lever arranged for that purpose. There is but little weight on the grain wheel which supports the outer end of the cutter bar, as almost the entire weight of the machine is carried on the driving wheels. The cutter bar can be folded up to enable the machine to pass though bars or gateways, or be transported from one field to another, without detaching the knife or cutter bar. The machine can be backed without working the knives. The outer shoe, which runs in the grass, is only two inches wide, and the last knife cuts no more than any other, leaving no ridge or high stubble at the edge of each swath. The track clearer revolves, turning the cut grass from the standing with ease, instead of dragging heavily upon the ground. The oil boxes are all capped, preventing the dust from falling in upon the bearings. A finely tempered spring under the seat. The cutter bar is oscillating, sidewise as well as endwise, admitting the angle of the cutter to be changed to suit the unevenness of the ground. This machine is light draft, no side draft or weight upon the horses' necks, strong, substantial and reliable in its operation-is combined to reap and mow, or mow only, and in either capacity has no superior. VANDIVER'S MISSOURI CORN PLANTER. In this day of improvement it is taken for granted all farmers are convinced of the utility of a horse power corn planter. The peculiar feature of this planter is the concave wheels and the coverers. No matter how rough the ground may be, or wet, the work with this planter is well done. Most planters open a trench in which the corn is planted, but without something in front of the wheels, the pressure is on either side, and not upen the corn, where it should be. With this machine, by means of concave wheels and coverers, a ridge is formed, and the earth at the same time pressed on the corn. The runners are of nicely polished cast steel, with open furrows sufficiently to admit of corn scattering in the hill, so that there is no difficulty in thinning the corn. With coverers the work must always be well done, while without there would always be, in foul or roughly prepared ground, more or less corn left to be covered with the hoe or picked up by birds. An important advantage of the coverers is that they cover all the corn and form a ridge, over which the concave wheels pass, causing the pressure to be equal on the whole width of the ridge, which is ten inches wide. This machine is a self-dropper when planting drilled corn, and only needs an operator when check rows are desired; will deposit corn deep or shallow, as may be desired; will plant in the roughest or foulest land or toughest prairie sod, and does better work than any planter in use, in all kinds of land; plants check rows that can be plowed either way; warranted to perform as recommended. If intended to plant prairie sod, extra cutters and rims are required, for which an extra charge is made. This a Missouri machine, invented by a Missouri farmer. Barnum & Brother, dealers in agricultural implements, St. Louis, are agents for the machines. |