THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



61 



motive power for breaking up the soil. I like that par- 

 tial inversion of it ; I like that simple, gradual, gliding 

 process of upturning the furrow ; I like that simple 

 combination of artistic power so admirably shown in the 

 ploughshare and mould-turner — the gradual lever-lift, 

 the inverted Archimedian screw, gently pressing over 

 the soil at the most acceptable angle. I much question 



if any implement will ever be invented requiring less 

 draught power in perfecting the same work. 



To Mr. Hemming. — I am obliged by your correc- 

 tion. My full conviction still is that fourteen tons was 

 given to me as the weight of the engine, which of course 

 would include water ; and I much regret if I have made a 

 wrong statement. 



NOTES ON NOVELTIES AT THE AGRICULTURAL SHOWS OF 185/. 



TflE GLASGOW MEETING OF THE HIGHLAND 

 AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOT- 

 LAND. 



Of this, confessedly the most successful of all the So- 

 ciety's meetings, the feature which at once claimed the 

 attention of the English visitor was the mode of 

 classification of the implements and machines con- 

 tributed. For agricultural shows there are two modes 

 of classification eligible : first, according to the 

 kind of work to be performed by the implement 

 or machine ; second, giving a certain amount of space 

 to each individual manufacturer, allowing him to 

 arrange his contributions as best he thinks fit. 

 Of these two modts the first is the philosophical ; 

 the second, the commercial ; and they are to be judged 

 of from entirely diS"erent points of view. If the object 

 of the Show is to facilitate the farmer in making com- 

 parative observations of the different machines, and to 

 serve some important points in agricultural education, 

 there can be no doubt that the first mode is in every 

 way the best. If, however, it is considered essential to 

 consult the commercial interests of the exhibitor, and, 

 to facilitate his obtaining orders, to create a sale for his 

 wares, the nearer the approach is made to the character 

 of a bazaar the better. It is simply a question between 

 the farmer and the implement maker, as the buyer and 

 the seller, and whether it is politic to study the interests 

 of the one more than those of the other. For purely 

 agricultural purposes it is evident that the first classifi- 

 catiun is the best ; for it is obvious enough [that, of any 

 machine which the farmer is wishful to purchase, the 

 moie specimens — that is, of different makers — he sees, 

 the better. A thoughtful walk through what may be 

 CiUed the confusion of Salisbury and the well-ordered 

 philosophical arrangements of Glasgow, would have 

 soon made this clear to any one previously doubtful of 

 the truth of the position. Not, let it here be noted, 

 that we are carping at the arrangements of the Salisbury 

 Show — they were admirable, so far as the system of 

 classification adopted admitted of; we simply wish to 

 show that where a faimer was desirous of comparing 

 the arrangements and workmanship of a machine brought 

 out by one manufacturer with those of others, before he 

 could go from one place to another, hunt up specimens, 

 and examine the peculiarities of each, all data for com- 

 parative observations would have evaporated from his 

 brain. Few mechanics could effect the object — how 

 could we suppose farmers to be successful ? The 

 Judges adjudicating the merits of each implement are 

 not thus expected to wander from stand to stand — at 

 least if they do, their judgment will fail in some i»arti- 

 culars ; and every farmer would undoubtedly be the 

 better if the shows enabled him to have the facilities of 

 the Judges. It is for the Societies to say how far in 

 this way they wish their shows to be truly educational 

 institutions ; nor would this facility of making compa- 

 rative observations be prejudicial to the interests of the 

 manufacturers themselves. We can easily imagine some, 



who to crude notions of arrangement add imperfection 

 in workmanship, objecting to this facility of comparison 

 being afforded to the buyers ; but we have some diffi- 

 culty in understanding how those who sell the best 

 machine of any class fear competition. In truth, we 

 do not think that this fear exists amongst our celebrated 

 manufacturers — it is their truest interest and wisest 

 policy to court comparison ; at the same time, before 

 closing our remarks on this subject — not altogether 

 without its importance to the agricultural world — it is 

 but right to mention that the system of classification 

 adopted by the Highland Society does entail a hardship 

 on those manufacturers who are desirous to do a trade 

 at the show — as who of them is not ? — in forcing them 

 to have either an assistant at each separate department 

 to explain to inquirers their machines and implements 

 there exhibited, or, failing this, to allow them to remain 

 unrepresented altogether- an alternative which no busi- 

 ness man likes to be forced to adopt. This is a grave 

 difficulty, and it is difficult to see how it can be over- 

 come. 



As the object of our paper is to take notice of the 

 novelties chiefly at the various shows, not to give a 

 report newspaper fashion, we have under the present 

 division but little to say ; for numerous as were the 

 machines represented, many of them either presented 

 the stereotyped features which are seen at each succes- 

 sive show, or where new, have been already described 

 in the first part of our present paper, or in the paper 

 given in the number of this Journal for March last on 

 the Novelties of the Smithfield Club Show. For the 

 purposes of this paper we deem it best, therefore, to 

 take the classification adopted in the prize list as offi- 

 cially announced, and describe the peculiar features of 

 the novelties of such sections as we consider it necessary 

 to notice. 



In Section 4 (Subsoil Ploughs for Moor or Strong 

 Land, for three or four horses), Mr. Bentall took the 

 first prize of £-^. This implement, although no novelty 

 to the English reader, may be so to some of our Scotch 

 readers ; we therefore give a slight description of its 

 peculiarities. One form of it has three shares, preceded 

 by three points, arranged parallel with each other ; the 

 centre share and point project beyond the two others, 

 this arrangement enabling the implement to penetrate 

 the hardest soils, and gives it a steady motion. It is 

 mounted on three wheels, by which the depth of the 

 work is regulated: the central beam, to which the centre 

 tine is fitted, has two cross arms, each of which carries 

 a side tine, the side tines having a lateral adjustment 

 given to them as well as a vertical. By this arrangement 

 the distance between the side tines and the centre one is 

 increased or decreased so as to take in a lesser or greater 

 width of land. The width usually covered is 3 feet 

 6 inches. 



In Section 10 (Consolidating Land-rollers), Mr. 

 William Cambridge of Bristol took the first prize of 

 £b for his patent self- cleansing clod-crusher. This 



