ON IMPLEMENTS SELECTED FOE TKIAL. 339 



being used at the trial, the seeds in our case had so much further to fall 

 which would tend to make them roll and lie over irregular. The only draw- 

 back to the horse and machine on the top of the drills is a little extra draught, 

 but this a mere tritle, as the drauo-ht is below 2 cwt., which is nothing; to touch 

 any horse. I am quite aware of the disadvantages that judges are placed at 

 in seeing a lot of new inventions tried for the first time and under one condi- 

 tion only — viz., without farmyard dung. This, I hope, will be considered 

 sufficient excuse for my addressing you on the subject, and pointing out my 

 reasons for constructing our machine in the way that it is — more so when I 

 find that what I consider to be one of the principal points of merit is the very 

 one that threw it out. I may add, that I have been offered £2 more for my 

 artificial manure-sowers if I would carry out the same improvement on them. 

 From the hiwh standing and undoubted inteo-rity of the gentlemen vou had 

 acting as judges, I feel sure they will never suppose that my remarks are 

 meant to throw any reflection on what is reported to be their opinion, as I feel 

 sure their purpose is the same as mine — trying to bring to the front the best 

 machine for the general public, which I hold to be the one most suitable for 

 the work under all ordinary circumstances. — Yours faithfully, 



(Addressed) F. N. Menzies, Esq. (Signed) G. W. Murray. 



After some discussion, it was moved that the report of the 

 Committee be approved, and that Mr Murray be informed that 

 the statements in his letter should have been made by his repre- 

 sentative at the trial ; which was unanimously agreed to. 



VI. — Potato Lifters. 



The trial of the Society's lifters selected at the Aberdeen 

 Show, 1876, took place on the 10th of October, in a field 

 on the farm of Liberton Mains, kindly granted for the pur- 

 pose by Mr liobert Black. The field was not in the most 

 favourable condition for the trial : the ground was wet, and the 

 potato sliaws were strong and rank; but potato-lifting was being 

 carried on in the field with the pronged plough, and it may 

 therefore be considered as perhaps a fair average field in ordi- 

 nary farm work, and the Committee give the results of the trial 

 as they found them: — 



1. Messrs Bisset & So7is, Blairgovn-ic. — This implement was 

 exhibited at the Aberdeen Show. The mechanical contrivance 

 by which the potatoes are unearthed does not materially difl'er 

 from implements already in use. A deep-cutting broad cutter 

 raises the plant, and a rapidly revolving wheel, with projecting 

 arms, scatters tlie shaws and surrounding earth, and is supposed 

 to throw out the tubers so as to be ready for being lit'ti'd. This 

 operation the machine certainly ])erlurnied, but the Committee 

 did not fail to observtj that a considerable number of the potatoes 

 were fairly severed in two pieces; and wlien they consider how 

 many more, without having been cut or severed, must necessarily 

 have been bruised, they are led to the conclusion that the action 



