"The reaping commenced at 11 o'clock in the barley field, the machine being drawn by two fine chestnut horses, lent by his Grace for the purpose of the experiment, in which he took the deepest interest, following the reaper in a car, and watching with evident satisfaction, the ease and rapidity with which the blades cut down the golden produce of the field. The crop was by no means one calculated to favor the experiment. On the contrary, some of it was down and much laid. It was cut down, however, with great regularity and speed, and the general evenness of the stubble was the subject of general remark. As the machine passed on, hewing its way at a smart pace through the dense mass of stalks, the crowd of eager observers rushed after it, and many were the cheers with which it was welcomed. Occasionally, to satisfy the ideas of the more fastidious, the level of the cutters was changed, so as to leave a greater or less length of stubble, and it was evident to all that in this respect the machine was susceptible of the nicest adjustment. Some times at the end of a turn it was rested to give the farmers an opportunity of inspecting it, which they seemed never tired of doing, and then it was turned round at right angles to cut in the cross direction. In the experiments upon barley, it showed itself capable of reaping the enormous space of fifteen acres, which we believe is from eight to nine times the power of the most vigorous and skillful reaper. Afterwards the machine was taken into a large field of clover, which it cut to within two inches of the ground, and with still greater rapidity. "His Grace repeatedly expressed his admiration of the powers of the apparatus, and congratulated some of the agricultural gentlemen present with him on the prospects of greater economy and security in harvesting which it afforded them. These opinions were generally entertained upon the ground, and yesterday at Bishop's Startford, in Hartfordshire, the farmers of that part of the country witnessed a similar experiment, attended with results precisely similar, and which gave them the same satisfaction." [Illustration: McCormick's American Reaper] The following testimonial was given by the Duke of Marlborough: "Tuesday, September 9th, 1851. "Having yesterday witnessed the working of the American Reaping Machine, patented by Mr. Hussey, and being requested to give my opinion upon its execution, I state that it performed its work admirably, laying the corn when cut very neatly for tying up, and leaving the stubble very regular. "MARLBOROUGH." Following upon these various successes, an advertisement from the proprietors of McCormick's Machine appeared in the public papers, as follows: MR. M'CORMICK'S AMERICAN REAPER [Sidenote: The Challenge]