THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



both on light and heavy land, as its utility in roll- 

 ing young wheat, fully equals its efficiency in 

 pulverizing the roughest clods. 



Mr. Crosskill has always been foremost amongst 

 the advocates of the use of machinery for agricul- 

 tural purposes. In the year 1841 he proposed to 

 apply the steam engine to drive thrashing ma- 

 chinery; and at the meeting of the Yorkshire 

 Agricultural Society at Hull, in that year, he 

 exhibited a combined thrashing machine driven by 

 a portable steam engine. Agriculturists were not, 

 however, at that time, prepared for such an innova- 

 tion. The scheme was unfavourably regarded; 

 and it was not until seven or eight years subse- 

 quent that agricultui'al societies offered any 

 encouragement for the exhibition of portable steam 

 engines, or that such engines were to any extent 

 brought into practical use. 



Another object which for many years engaged 

 Mr. Crosskill's attention was the application of 

 machinery to the manufacture of 'wooden v/heels. 

 He arranged and constructed on his own v.'orks a 

 complete set of machinery for this purpose. By 

 means of these, the wheels are not only made at 

 less cost, but are more accurately fitted, and there- 

 fore more durable, than those put together by 

 hand-labour. By keeping a very large stock of 

 timber, and using nothing but the driest and 

 soundest materials, Mr. Crosskill has obtained a 

 well-deserved reputation for his patent wheels, 

 while the demand for them is still increasing. 



Mr. Crosskill is further justly entitled to credit 

 for his sagacity in discerning the uses to which a 

 small railway might be applied in agricultural 

 operations. In 1847 he brought out his portable 

 railway, by means of which two men can easily lay 

 a road that will carry fiftean to twenty cwt. over 

 the softest land, move it about where necessary, 

 and take it up when done with. The large quantity 

 of the portable railway that has since been sold, 

 proves the high estimation in which it is held by 

 the owners and occupiers of strong soils, who are 

 often compelled by the seasons to draw turnips 

 from or lead manure to their land, when it is in too 

 soft a state to bear the pressure of cart-wheels 

 upon it. 



At the Great Exhibition of 1851, the American 

 reaping machine attracted Mr. Crosskill's attention. 

 With characteristic ardour, he set to work to aid 

 the introduction of machinery into the English 

 harvest-field; and, after encountering and success- 

 fully overcoming more than the usual number of 

 difficulties with which the introduction of new 

 agricultural machinery is too often beset, he had 

 the gratification of seeing his improved reaping 

 machine fully recognized as a standard implement. 



Without further adverting in detail to the 

 different branches of machinery that have engaged 

 Mr. Crosskill's attention, enough has been stated 

 to show that his claims are of a very high order. 

 The extensive manufactory which he has built near 

 the town of Beverley, occupying upwards of six 

 acres of ground, and containing the most improved 

 machinery for executing every kind of work, either 

 in wood or iron, is an enduring monument of what 

 may be accomplished by a man of industry, skill,, 

 and perseverance. 



Like his most successful contemporaries in 

 business, Mr. Crosskill has received his full share 

 of the medals, prizes, and commendations which 

 our agricultural societies take pleasure in bestow- 

 ing upon the exhibitors at their shows. Amongst 

 his large collection of medals, he may especially 

 feel proud of the gold medal of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society of England, the Council medal of the 

 Great Exhibition of All Nations, and the gold 

 medal of the Universal Exhibition in Paris. 



In the year 1S52, when the artizans of most of 

 the great engineering establishments in Lancashire 

 and Yorkshire were at variance with their em- 

 ployers, and had resorted to the desperate and 

 distressing expedient of a general strike, Mr. 

 Crosskill's workmen showed their appreciation of 

 his conduct as an employer by entering into a 

 subscription to present him with a handsome time- 

 piece, as a testimonial of their regard and esteem. 

 The value of the gift was greatly enhanced by the 

 remarkable contrast shown in such a presentation, 

 to the relations which at that time existed between 

 many other employers and their workmen. 



Mr. Crosskill retired from business in the year 

 1855. The Agricultural Implement Works at 

 Beverley have since been carried on under the 

 management of his two sons, who had assisted him 

 for some time previously. In his own neighbour- 

 hood he has for many years been known as an 

 active and determined politician; has for a long 

 time filled the office of alderman for the borough of 

 Beverley ; and taken a prominent part in the 

 election of members to represent the town in 

 Parliament. Shortly after his retirement from 

 business, he received from Government a valuable 

 appointment, in recognition of his political services. 

 All who know Inm will, doubtless, concur in the 

 wish that he may live long to enjoy the reward of 

 his active exertions — labours, the more important 

 of which have been the rather for public good than 

 party purpose. 



