THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



15 



lordship had not found it to answer. He had tried it 

 under his own supervision, and taken much pains 

 to have it worked properly ; but he found it saved 

 neither time nor expense, as it was heavy in draught and 

 utterly inefficient where there were any inequalities of 

 surface. Lord Suffield, in saying thus much, trusted that 

 Messrs, Burgess and Key's agent was present; and Mr. 

 Kemp rose in answer to the call. But he was kept back — 

 of course, by Mr. Antony Hamond, who felt called up- 

 on to interfere chiefly, as it seemed, because he had never 

 seen a mower at work ; and further, as "it was a pity 

 the'e implements should be rejected by well-inten- 

 tioned infernally slupid fellows (laughter), who thought 

 the machines were useless, when the fact was they did 

 not know how to use them (laughter)." Mr. Hamond, 

 then proceeded to expatiate on the merits of the reaper, 

 the value of which was never called in question, aud that 

 only interfered wiih the real matter before the meeting, 

 the practical value of any mowing machine at present in 

 use. Mr. Hamond, however, at length permitted the 

 discussion to continue in something of this wise : — 



Mr. J. Kemp thanked his lordship for having intro- 

 duced the subject, and Mr. Hamond for the testimony 

 he had borne to the efficiency of Burgess and Key's 

 mower, which had already been satisfactorily esta- 

 blished by the experience of at least twenty gen- 

 tlemen present in that room. He suggested, as a means 

 of accounting for the failure of the machine on Lord 

 Suffield's park, that the park might have been full of old 

 grass in the bottom, through not having been grazed. 

 In the case of a noble lord in Lincolnshire, to whom a 

 machine was supplied, more difficulty was found, for a 

 similar reason, in cutting the grass en the park than any 

 other part of the estate, for though the grass had been 

 mown regularly twice a-year, it had never been grazed, 

 and consequently there was a great deal of rough herb- 

 age at the bottom, which was very hard to cut. He (Mr, 

 Kemp) was under no special obligations to Burgess and 

 Key. He was a farmer as well as an agent, and the im- 

 plements which he introduced he first tried on his own 

 farm. His determination was to introduce the best im- 

 plements, irrespective of who the makers were, and if he 

 ever saw any better mowing or reaping machines than 

 those of Burgess anol Key's, he should abandon Burgess 

 and Key's and introduce the improved ones. He 

 always guaranteed the machines, and would return the 

 money if they did not answer. 



Lord Suffield said he was glad that Mr. Kemp had 

 had an opportunity of defending his machine, but he was 

 still of opinion that it was not a useful one. No doubt, 

 it would cut well on level table land ; but it could not 

 be considered a perfect mowing machine unless it were 

 available wherever a scythe could cut. 



Mr. Reeve (the Steward of Implements) said he had 

 thrown out a challenge in the Royal Hotel the previous 

 night, that he could produce men whocould cut cleaner and 

 cheaper than Burgess and Key's mowing machine could, 

 and that challenge had not been accepted. The machine 

 cut the silt up with the grass, and he was sure they would 

 not be satisfied with hay mixed with silt. The farmers 

 were extremely indebted to Messrs. Burgess and Key for 

 their unexampled industry and skill in producing useful 

 implements, but he (Mr. Reeve) could not admit that 

 their mowing machine as yet belonged to such a class. 



The discussion was stopped at this point. Our own 

 opinion is that Lord Suffield was perfectly justified in 

 all he said, and unwarrantably interfered with by some 

 of those who had actually not his own experience. Since 

 last season Burgess and Key's mower has been essentially 

 improved, and what was then a comparatively imperfect 

 implement promises now to be a very serviceable one. It 

 is, indeed, only right to add, as we heard Mr. Reeve make 

 his challenge at the Royal Hotel, that where he lives 



labour is still cheap, and the land he proposes for the 

 trial almost covered with stones. As it was, the topic so 

 well introduced by Lord Suffield must do good, while 

 the debate would have been still better had it been 

 strictly kept to the question. 



PRIZES FOR STOCK. 

 CATTLE. 

 Judges. — T. Dickens, High Oakums, Notts. 

 C. Howard, Biddenham, Beds, 

 The best Shorthorn Bull, first prize of 1 sovs. and silver 

 medal, S. Gooch. 



Second, 5 sovs., Lord Walsinghara (Earl de Grey.) 



Commended. — Sir W. Jones, 



The best Yearling Shorthorn Bull, prize of 5 sovs., J. L, 

 Barrett. 



The be^t Devon Bull, first prize of 8 hoys, and silver medal, 

 J. Blomfield. 



The second, 4 sovs., R. Wortley. 



Commended.—Mr. John Overman. 



The best yearling Devon Bull. — No merit. 



The beat Polled Bull, first priza of 8 sovs, and silver medal, 

 S. K, Gayford. 



The second, 4 eovs , 11. Birkbeck. 



The best Shorthorn Cow, in calf or in milk, firfit prize of 

 5 sovf. and silver medai, Lady Pigot (Lady Sarah). 



Second, 3 sova., Lord Walsingham (Pretty). 



Theclasa generally commended. 



The best Devon Cow, in calf or in milk, first prize of 5 sovs. 

 and silver medal, Loid Leicester. 



Second, 3 sovs., Lord Leicester. 



Commended. — Lord Leicester. 



The best Polled Cow, in calf or in milk, first prize of 5 sovs. 

 and silver medal, J. Hamnioad. 



Second, 3 sovs., J, Hiimnjoiid. 



Commended. — Lord Sondes and T. M. Hudson. 



The best Shorthorn iu-calf Heifer, not above three years 

 old, first prize of 5 sovs, and silver medal, Lady Pigot (Em- 

 press of Hindostan). 



Second, 3 sovs., Lord Walsiogham. 



The best Yearling Shorthorn Heifer, prize of 3 sovs , Lady 

 Pigot (Magnolia). 



The beat Devon iaCalf Heifer, firsi prize of 5 sovs. and 

 silver medal, Lord Leicester, 



Second, 3 sovs., Lord Leicester, 



Highly commended. — J. Blomfield, 



The beat Yearling Devon Heifer, 3 sovs., R, Wortley. 



The best Polled in-Calf Heifer, prize of 5 sovs., and silver 

 medal, Lord Sondes, 



The best Yearliug Polled Heifer, prize of 3 sovs., Lord 

 Sondes. 



Highly commended, — Lord Sondes, for another heifer. 



The best pen of three Calves of any breed under six months 

 old, having been bred iu Norfolk, prize of 5 sovs.. Lord Sondes, 



Tiie best Fat Steer of any breed under three years old, 

 prize of 5 sova. and silver medal, R. Wortley. 



Best Fat Cow or Heifer, prize of 4 sovs, and silver medal, 

 S, Gooch. 



Highly commended.— S. Gooch, for another, 



Commeuded, — Lord Walsingham. 



SHEEP, 



R0UTHD0WN8. 



Judges. — H. Fookes, Whitchurch, Dorset. 

 H. Hart, Beddinghara, Susses. 



The best ShearHng Ram, first prize of 8 sovs. and silver 

 medal. Lord Walsingham. 



Second, 5 sovs., Lord Walsingham. 



Third, 3 sovs,, Lord Walsingham. 



Commended.— Lord Walsingham, for another ram. 



The best ram of any age, first prize of 5 sovs., the So- 

 ciety's premium of 3 sovs. and silver medal, Lord Walsingham. 



Second, 5 sovs., J. B. Aylmer. 



Third, 3 sovs.. Lord Walsingham. 



The best pen of five Shearling Ewes, first prize of 5 sovs. 

 and silver medal. Lord Walsingham. 



Second, of 3 sovs.. Lord Walsingham. 



The best pen of ten Southdown Ewe Lambs, first prize of 

 4 B0V9, and silver medal, Lord Leicester. 



