THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



341 



backward condition of the crops, congequent upon the unfa- 

 vourable state of the weather, rendered adjournment of the 

 trial of reapers not only desirable, but abaclutely necessary. 

 A tolerable number of implements were entered for trial, aud 

 the satisfactory and all but perfect manner in which they 

 performed the work allotted them, proves incontestably that 

 this branch of mechanical science is destined ultimately to 

 prove a decided success. The ground selected for the trial 

 consisted of two large fields, forming a portion of Mr. 

 Thos. Taylor's farm, at Darrington, on the estate of 

 the Right Honourable T. Southercn Estcourt, M.P. 

 .The field in which the trials were first conducted, 

 consisted of twenty acres of fine wheat, rather beaten 

 down ; and this latter fact, coupled with the undulations 

 abounding on the ground, rendered the contest a most severe 

 one. Indeed so trying was the task, that though all the im- 

 plements worked admirably in ascending the slope, the wheat 

 laying towards them ; yet in descending, and consequently 

 cutting in the direction in which the crop was laid, tlie re- 

 sult, in many instances, was not unexceptionable. Among 

 these we are compelled to class Messrs. Burgess and Key's, 

 and Messrs, Wood's American reapers, which, notwithstand- 

 ing the enviable reputation they have acquired, failed to con- 

 vince the judges, Messrs. Morton and Wells, of their supe- 

 riority over all others on the ground. In our opinion they 

 certainly worked well. Burgess and Key's in particular, but 

 their comparative expensiveness forms a serious objection to 

 their general adoption. We also believe that the judges took 

 this point into their consideration in giving the awards, and 

 shaped theif conclusions accordingly. Shortly after twelve 

 o'clock the trial commenced, and the following machines took 

 part in the contest : The Cuthbert reaping-machine, manu- 

 factured by R. Cuthbert and Co., Bedale, Yorkshire — this 

 i mplement is an improvement upon what is generally known 

 as Hussey's reaper; Beckwith's reaper, manufactured byBeck- 

 with, of Ripon — the most prominent characteristics in 

 this machine are simplicity of structure, ease and efficiency in 

 working, and cheapness of price ; Burgess and Key's reaper, 

 manufactured by this well-known firm, at their establishment, 

 Brentwood, Essex. A very compact and freely-working im- 

 plement was exhibited by W. Coates, of Millenham, which 

 created a deal of interest, from the very clean and efficient 

 style in which it performed its work. Wood's combined 

 reaper and mowing machine — the well-known merits of this 

 implement sustained a little drawback in this trial, in conse- 

 quence of some untoward circumstance. The rest of the ma- 

 chines were by J. W. Wray, which worked in capital style ; 

 Dray and Co., which has a back delivery, and works very 

 smoothly and freely ; Heugh, of Bedale, York, which would 

 compare with the best on the ground, were it not for a liability 

 to choke; and A. C. Bamlett, of Ripon. The last machine 

 we did not see in operation, and therefore cannot speak of its 

 merits or defects. After the competition in the wheat field> 

 the judges desired to have a still further test among a splendid 

 crop of barley ; this was accordingly carried out, after which 

 they gave their award in the following order :— > 



First prize, Cuthbert's machine. 



Second, Beckwith's. 



Highly commended, Messrs. Burgess and Key's. 



Commended, Coates'. 



Mr. Morton, who responded for the judges at the dinner, 

 defined the principle upon which the award was made, as giving 

 a preference to machines that proved themselves capable of 

 working under all circumstances. 



IMPLEMENT MAKERS AND IMPLEMENT 

 PRIZES,-»One of the imperfection? necessarily incident to a 



competitive trial of implements and machinery, is that results 

 may be obtained superior to those to be derived from similar 

 machines when in use on the farm. That machines shown 

 may be adapted rather for such temporary and limited trials 

 than for sheer hard work, is also to be anticipated. Such 

 things seem to be necessary and inevitable to the prize system. 

 All that can be tested in short periods is the principle. This 

 is one of the imperfections of prize giving, and we do not see 

 how any other tests than the mechanical one in use by the 

 Royal Agricultural Society can be applied. Thus the amount 

 of steam generated from a given quantity of coal, or of power 

 consumed as indicated by the dynamometer, would seem to be 

 the best, if not the only test, which can be applied to steam- 

 engines at an agricultural meeting, It is possible that great 

 excellence on these points may be attained for a short exhibi- 

 tion, at the sacrifice of more substantial merits, such as safety, 

 durability, or simplicity, for the purposes of a real working 

 engine ; but how is that to be avoided ? We have read with 

 attention a paper in " Newton's Journal of Arts," which pro- 

 fesses to set forth the reasons of the principal agricultural im- 

 plement manufacturers who have for the present withdrawn 

 from exhibiting at the Royal Agricultural Society's yearly 

 show. They are thus summarised ; " 1 . That the Society has 

 broken faith with the exhibitors, in departing from the quad- 

 rennial system of trials mutually agreed upon. 2. That 

 the prize sheets are so indefinitely worded that makers 

 are in the dark as to the kinds of machines the Society 

 desires to encourage. 3. That tlie trials are unsatisfactory 

 and the awards capricious ; inasmuch as the time devoted 

 to the trials is necessarily very limited, aud no fixed prin- 

 ciples of judging are laid down for the guidance of the 

 judges. 4. That the exhibitors have no power to object to 

 their the appointment of the judges, whether on the ground of 

 incompetency, or their busness relations, or to the choice of 

 tlieconsulting engineer, who stands in the position of umpire. 

 5, That the reports of the trials are meagre, inaccurate, and 

 incomplete, and published so long after the show as to be 

 of little service either to the public or to the trade. 6. 

 That the expenses of exhibiting and competing for prizes 

 have increased so greatly, that the business resulting from 

 attendance at the Eoyal Agricultural Show is not com- 

 mensurate with the outlay." Now, most of these are suffi- 

 ciently vague and not very explanatory, hut from other por- 

 tions of the paper we are inclined to suspect that these 

 great firms, who have derived no small portion of their 

 gi-eatness from successful competition and constant exliibi- 

 tion at the society's shows, feeling strong on their legs, 

 wish to discountenance all further competition, save the 

 ordinary and natural competition of trade. This is quite 

 intelligible, and is perhaps in the mam a sound view of the 

 subject, but still it can scarcely be expected that the council 

 of the society, wliich has been to some extent at least the 

 ladder by which these finus have mounted to eminence, 

 shouU he content to ho thus quietly kicked down, Thus it 

 is said " it is no secret to those who have mixed much 

 with inventors and makers of agricultural implements, 

 that for years they have expressed discontent at the 

 frequently recurring contests, in which they are expected, 

 like prize-fighters, to be always ready to jeopardize their 

 hard-earned reputations by entering into competition 

 with all comers. The mental labour and anxiety 

 attendant on the eiforts which firms of repute felt it neces- 

 sary to make, to retain their position, not merely as manu- 

 facturers of the best implements in their several specialties, 

 but also of those which could win prizes, superadded to the 

 ordinary cares of a large manufactory, were found to be so 



