y and C. H. McCormick, were striving to produce a successful
reaping machine for cutting grain and grass, as were many others, before
and since. These two men were contemporaneously in the field, and no
doubt they both labored faithfully to accomplish the desired result. The
invention of Obed Hussey, the features of which were embraced in his
first machine in 1832 and 1833, included all the principles of a
practical reaper. It was a side draft or side cut machine; that is, the
cutting apparatus extended out to one side, the animals drawing the
machine moving along by the side of the grain or grass to be cut. It had
two driving and supporting wheels, gearing extending rearward with a
crank and pitman therefrom to reciprocate the cutters, which were
scalloped or projecting blades from a bar and vibrated through slotted
guard fingers which held the stalks to be cut. The cutting apparatus was
hinged to the side of the frame of the machine to enable it to follow
the surface of the ground over which the machine was passing. A platform
was supported by an outer and inner wheel. The operator was seated upon
the machine and raked the grain into sheaves from the platform as it was
cut. Over sixty years have come and gone, yet all the essential features
of the first Hussey machine and all Hussey machines made thereafter
(which were large numbers) employed substantially these devices. The
machine was successful the first time it was completed, and ever after
were the Hussey machines successful in harvesting grain and grass. The
fundamental principles of all harvesting machinery of the world to-day
were furnished by Obed Hussey's invention and patent of 1833; and while
very many and valuable improvements have been made thereon for
harvesting grain and grass, for which credit should be given to the
worthy inventors who followed after Hussey, yet we must not ignore his
valuable contribution, '_the reaper_.'

"Cyrus H. McCormick's first patent was dated in 1834. This was known as
a push machine with a straight cutter, the operator walking by the side
of the machine and raking the grain from the platform. Other
modifications in after years were made on this machine by Mr. McCormick;
and it may be said that the inventive genius of Obed Hussey and the
business tact and skill of C. H. McCormick produced and brought into
practical use the first successful reaping machine of this or any other
country.

[Sidenote: Whose Machine Still Lives?]