EVOLUTION OF FARM-IMPLEMENT INVESTIGATIONS. 215 



iire held, and partly from the membership fees of the society, ^vhich 

 are $5 per annum for each member, and as the society in 1902 had 

 13,000 members, this fee netted $C);'),000 for annual expenses. The 

 results of the trials are published in the yearbook of the society. 



Since 1892 the society has established a special annual exhibit for 

 new inventions of a^jricultural nuichinery for the purpose of per- 

 mittinof jiurchasers to make comparisons and to study new inventions 

 and innovations. Only such machines can appear in this exhibit as 

 have been patented witiiin the previous twenty-four months; or, in 

 cj.se no patent has been s()u<J!:ht, have been in use not more than twelve 

 months previous to the time of the exhibit. These machines must be 

 iiistalled at least three days before the general opening of the exhibit 

 in order that the judges may determine whether the imi)lements are 

 new or of any special value. Those implements which are capable of 

 being tested at the exhibit are tried. The others are retained to be 

 tested later in the field, after which judgment is passed upon them. 

 At these trials are awarded silver and bronze medals and diplomas, 

 but these medals are not considered premiums like those given at the 

 competitive field trials, but (mly as acknowledgments for new inven- 

 tions, and the exhibitor must agree, in writing, to always make clear 

 in his advertising matter the circumstances under which the medal 

 was obtained. Misuse of this agreement is punishable by a large fi.J:?e 

 or exclusion from further exhibits until the fine is paid. 



At these trials the participants must pay all expenses except those 

 of the judges, which are paid by the society. This branch of the ex- 

 hibit has become very extensive and is both interesting and useful. 

 In 1902, at the meeting held in ^lannheim, there were 74: different 

 inventions exhibited, of which two received bronze medals and 14 

 diplomas, while 9 implements were retained for further trials. 



Another special exhibit was inaugurated in 1902. This is a collec- 

 tion of all implements and machines which are intended for the same 

 kind of agricultural work, such, for instance, as farm machinery 

 which utilizes electricity as motive power, or nuichines used in the 

 manufacture of alcohol, or dairy machinery. As these exhibits are 

 considered splendid opportunities for advertising, the exhibitors are 

 retjuired to pay all exjjenses and to pay for si)ace occupied, at the 

 highest rates. A catalogue is issued each year which describes all 

 of the exhibits and gives illustrations of all implements and machines 

 which have been entered for the field trials. 



It will thus be seen that the investigations of farm implements con- 

 ducted under the auspices of the German Agricultural Society con- 

 sist mainly of exhibits and field trials of such classes of implements 

 af are selected l)v the society. 



In many of the ])n)vinces of Germany there are. in connection with 

 the agricultural colleges, implement-testing stations to which manu- 



