236 



THE FARMEll'S MAGAZINE. 



characterised by their novelty of arrangenaeat than 

 by their practical utility in the field or the farm- 

 steading ? 



Again, those engaged in manufactures too readily 

 raise the finger of scorn and turn up the nose of con- 

 tempt at the slowness of farmers ; but where, let us 

 ask, do we find so many evidences of the desire of those 

 engaged in manufactures to encourage latent and 

 slowly-bursting-out mechanical talent, in the same way 

 as evidenced by our agricultural societies ? We have 

 farmers' clubs and agricultural associations, where the 

 members meet to compare their notes of practice, and 

 communicate their experience : these have had, and still 

 have, a powerful influence in aiding the application of 

 engineering to agricultural science. The infancy of the 

 trade was tenderly supported by our agricultural so- 

 cieties, its aspiring youth kindly encouraged by all 

 species of rewards, and its riper years — But we need 

 not, nay cmnot, finish the sentence as we ought to do ; 

 for is it not on record that in this, the Year of Grace 

 Eighteen Hundred and Sixty, a few of the sons of En- 

 gineering have repudiated all connexion with Agricul- 

 ture as personified in its leading society ! Not without 

 jars, said we truly, has been the union between En- 

 gineering and Agriculture. 



In noticing the leading features of the Canterbury 

 Show, we would not, if we could, omit all mention of 

 this, if not implemental, at least administrative, feature. 

 None deplores the secession of the leading makers 

 from the IShow more than we do. It is a phase in the 

 history of agriculture, view it in whatever way we may, 

 that is to be deplored, and greatly too. It is not for 

 us here to enter into details of the question, with the 

 object of showing who is right or who is wrong. This 

 is not our province. We have alluded to it as a matter ^f 

 obvious necessity; and we will only further say that, where 

 a union has been productive of benefit to both parties, it 

 is a sad thing to resort to " separation." This is, in- 

 deed — or ought to be, if people thought rightly — the 

 very last resource, and should only be carried out in 

 cases of hopeless despair. The case, so far as the 

 implement-makers and the Royal Society are con- 

 cerned, does not, to our way of thinking, present this 

 aspect of hopelessness. It is not the way — we say it 

 with all deference to the opinions of those who differ 

 with us, and who may be better able to judge than we 

 are — to bring about reform in any body, by leaving it 

 en masse. Better far to stay by a leaky ship — if it is 

 leaky — and try to make her sea-worthy. The good old 

 ship, in better times, comrades! has borne you bravely 

 to many a port, and has carried jou to fortune. Why 

 have left her because her officers are a little crusty, and 

 her pumps show the existence of some water in the 

 hold ? It is a sad story to tell of any one, that they 

 have deserted their posts. The policy of doing so, 

 under almost any circumstances, however much these 

 may be complained of, is at all times doubtful. Do we 

 say too much, when we affirm that the good taste 

 evinced in the proceeding is anything but doubtful ? If 

 motives the reverse of generous or high-minded are 

 attributed to the leading implement-makers, as having 

 prompted this step which they have unfoitunately 

 taken, they have themselves to blame. We can but 

 repeat how much we deplore this event, brought about 

 by men many of whom we know and esteem, and of 

 the value of whose services none ought to be more fully 

 cognizant than ourselves. 



The progress of improvement in agricultural me- 

 chanism is just at that stage, that we can ill afford to have 

 any conflictions calculated to retard its onward move- 

 ment ; and pity it is that one involving such momentous 

 consequences as that which we here so heartily regret, 

 should have originated now. Agriculture needs all the 



assistance from mechanical science which she can ob- 

 tain ; and that she has not dispensed her favours, for 

 the assistance which she has already received, with a 

 niggard band, let the position and the wealth of not a 

 few of our leading implement-makers decide. She has 

 yet many favours to bestow; and it depends pretty 

 much upon men of mechanical science themselves, 

 where and how she is to bestow them. It has not been 

 seldom witnessed, in this country of ours, that the 

 strikes of able workmen have opened up paths to for- 

 tune to second-class men, or outsiders, which would 

 otherwise have remained for ever closed to them. Some 

 men ride to fortune on the back of other men's mis- 

 takes — but a paraphrase of the old proverb, "What is 

 one man's loss is another man's gain." 



That the matter will not end here, but will go on to 

 assume other phases, we verily believe. We have, how- 

 ever, no less a faith in this — that all will work well 

 ultimately ; for a stimulus will be given to the develop- 

 ment of mechanical skill in quarters now comparatively 

 unknown and unproductive. Agriculture, whoever is, 

 will surely not be a loser in the long run. But let us 

 hope for the return of a better state of feeling between 

 the old friends who, in happier times, have broug'^t 

 about mutually happy results, productive of benefit to 

 both alike ; that bygones will be bygones ; and that, in 

 their grand contributions to the show-sheds of next 

 year, amidst the dingy, smoke-hued towns of York- 

 shire, we shall sink all remembrance of the absence of 

 the leading makers this year from those which have so 

 recently been pitched amidst the hop-fields of Kent 

 But to bring about this greatly-to-be-wished-for recon- 

 ciliation, the Royal Agricultural Society has also her 

 work to do — her errors to rectify, and her faults to 

 amend. But of this, more in a succeeding paper. 



R. S. B. 



TRIAL OF REAPING MACHINES 

 IN FRANCE. 



The great summer shows of the year may be said 

 to close with our reports of the Scotch and York- 

 shire IVIeetings. Geneially good as almost all thesa 

 exliibitions were, there has still been a question of 

 weather to contend against. This has told in more 

 ways than merely in the matters of attendar»ce and 

 convenience. In fact, almost as a rule, certain field 

 trials have been postponed, and up even to the last we 

 have, actually in August, the due testing of the reapers 

 deferred until corn can be found in a sufficiently 

 forward state to cut. Although with the har- 

 vest by no means ready, the Emperor has been 

 able to anticipate us in Finance, and an inter- 

 national trial of reaping machines has come off 

 at Fouilleuse. It was in every way an important 

 one, whether we take the English firms, as re- 

 presented on the occasion, or in comparison with 

 the French manufactures brought out to oppose 

 them. The entries reached to thirty-nine, and the 

 nineteen English included, Burgess and Key's 

 M'Cormick; Cranston's Wood; Bell's; and Cuthbert's; 

 while amongst the French there were Laurent,, Robin, 

 Legendre, Ganneron, and Mazier. In to bad a con- 

 dition, however, was some of the crop, that only two 

 machines got through their work in good time- 

 Burgess and Key, and Dr. Mazier. The award was 

 ultimately thus declared : Itt prize and grand medal 

 of honour as tlie best of all machines tried — Burgess 

 and Key; 2nd prize — Cuthbert; 3rd prize — Wood. 

 French machines: 1st prize — Dr. Mazier; 2nd prize 

 not awarded; 3i'd, Legendre. The Emperor himself 

 was present at the trials, and evinced much interest in 

 examining the several implements at work. 



