ON IMPLEMENTS SELECTED FOR TRIAL. 337 



the soil so open as after the ordinary plough, and in the case of 

 both stubble and clean land, to avoid the packing of the subsoil 

 and consequent separation from the upper soil caused by the 

 horses' feet on the furrow and by the sole of the plough. The 

 tlif^ger was first tried in a stubble field, making two furrows nine 

 inches deep. The average draught was about 6 cwt. The Com- 

 mittee recommended the Directors to award the silver medal. 

 The Board approved of the award. 



V. — Potato Planters. 



The Potato Planters selected at the Glasgow Show 1875 were 

 tried at Liberton Mains, 4th April 1876. The trial had been 

 arranged to take place on a field at Powburn belonging to Mr 

 Bryden Monteith, but owing to Mr Monteith's unavoidable ab- 

 sence the arrangements had not been completed, and the Society, 

 after making a commencement there, was very much indebted to 

 Mr Black, Liberton Mains, who most kindlv offered to have the 

 trial on a field which he was planting, and to furnish seed, horses 

 and everything that was required. Six machines appeared on 

 the ground, exhibited by — 1. William Dewar, Kellas, Dundee ; 

 2. Alexander Guthrie, Craigo, Montrose ; 3. Charles Hay, Xorth 

 Merchiston, Edinburgh; 4. G. W. Murray & Co., Banff (Fer- 

 guson's patent) ; 5 and 6. J. W. Bobinson & Co., Liverpool 

 (Aspinwall's patent). The Committee are glad to report generally 

 that the machines were greatly improved since the trial in Octo- 

 ber last ; and, with the exception of Aspinwall's machine, which 

 appeared for the first time, they attribute that improvement very 

 much to the trial formerly held. They believe that all the 

 machines would have done their work well with whole seed 

 riddled to one size ; but on this occasion they were put to a 

 thorough test, being tried witli seeds of all sizes, both cut and 

 uncut. One of Aspinwall's patent machines being adapted 

 solely for planting potatoes on the fiat, not usually done in 

 Scotland, and being of the same principle in the delivery 

 of the seed .as his other maclane, it was not tried. After 

 a thorough trial your conmiittee selected three machines — 

 viz., Mr Guthrie's, price L.14; Messrs ^lurray k Co.'s, L.18, 18s. ; 

 Aspinwall's patent, L.12 — and again subjected them to a 

 further trial, eucli macliine being drawn by the same horse. 

 Messrs Guthrie and ^Murray & Co.'s machines are adapted to 

 plant two drills, and are on much the same principle, the seed 

 being raised from a hopper in cups, and dr()p})ed into the drill. 

 Both machines are simple in construction, and not likely to go 

 out of order, and appeared to be of much the same draught — 

 Messrs Murray's liaving this objection, that the horse and the 

 wheels of the machine travel on the tops of the drills, which 



Y 



