TIIK FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



53 



prised the spectators by separating a considerable 

 quantity of broken corn from the samples. To 

 this corn- screen the judges made a special award, 

 and highly commended the corn-dressiny machine exhi- 

 bited by the same person. The exhibitor stated he had 

 refused to comply with the conditions specified because 

 he did not approve of them, contenting himself to secure 

 the high commendation for his machine, which was 

 manifestly the best, rather than the prize, which could 

 only be won by an injury to his m:ichine. The prize 

 did not travd far, for it was given to S(and No. 3, 

 Messrs. Burrow and Page, of Morchand, Devon. We 

 were very much pleased with Mr. Bentall's oilcake-mill, 

 a capital improvement ; a strong and substantial mill, 

 so simple that any man can manage, and so complete 

 that it does every description of cracking and crushing 

 which can be needed — from the large size for oxen to 

 the dust used for manure. It was with us a mutual re- 

 gret that we were not purchasers, having not long since 

 secured a far less valuable mill at the same price. The 

 broadshare ho exhibits appears to assume new forms and 

 uses at every exhibition, and promises some day to be 

 available for nearly all farm operations which simply in- 

 volve cutting and stirring of the land. Mr. Eddy's 

 turnwrest plough attracted much notice, being a most 

 complete implement of its class, and for our steep hills 

 invaluable;; in fact, much land now under the plough could 

 scarcely be worked without one of these turn-wrest ploughs; 

 and to get all the modern improvements of light draught 

 and economy of material introduced is to us of the 

 West a very great boon. There was an excellent turnip- 

 thinner exhibited by Mr. Eaton, of Kettering, com- 

 bining the hoeing of the land with the hoeing out of the 

 turnips in the drill. Its action was steady (a great im- 

 provement), and promised to be the means of saving 

 much hand-labour at a time when labourers are with us 

 scarce, and wanted about other work. The two Rlilfords, 

 of Thorverton, Devon, got the prizes for waggons and 

 carts. They were well made, and the break for the wag- 

 gons was excellent. We are accustomed to much hilly land 

 inourpart,andmany of the hills are too steep for using 

 a drag; yet when an ordinary drag or chain is used, it 

 throws work on the horses. This improvement will be 

 valuable amongst us, and will no doubt be frequently 

 adopted; besides which, all the strain upon the joints of 

 the waggon, from the continued jerking on the road, are 

 thus avoided. Mr. Lyne, of Malmesbury, exhibited 

 quite a new description of harrow, evidently 

 a very great improvement over the ordinary 

 harrow, and it promises to combine the advan- 

 tages of the chain harrow with those of the common 

 harrow. The prize plough for general purposes exhi- 

 bited by Mr. Wright, of Sandford, Devon, is a really 

 first-class plough; indeed, in the trial-field its work 

 was splendid, and its draught shown by the dynamo- 

 meter to be exceedingly light. It occurred to us that 

 our horses would often come home less fired than after 

 using an ordinary plough, could we get our farms fur- 

 nished with these ploughs ; and it also occurred to us 

 that a dynamometer, which can be purchased for about 

 £3, would soon repay tlie cost, as it would enable us to 



check our hcavy-gouKj implements, and find out what 

 is wrong. There is no doubt we are continually expend- 

 ing ^iscli'sshj a very considerable amount of horseflesh 

 simply from not knowing the draught of our imple- 

 ments. There was an excellent horse-rake also shown 

 by Wright, of Sandford, which added to its value to us 

 by being fitted so as to go through our narrow roads and 

 gates, wliich have prevented our using tiie ordinary 

 horse-rake in numberless cases. The arrangement is 

 simple ; for the rake is drawn the narrow way, instead 

 of (as is usual) t'ae wide way, and the shafts 

 are moved when in the field. Many a farmer, 

 who could not (for the reasons named) avail 

 himself of this valuable field implement, will be re- 

 stricted no longer. There were also some small port- 

 able engines, which will be exceedingly valuable on small 

 farms. Of these, the two-horse engine exhibited by Mr. 

 James Haywood, jun., of Derby, appeared to us the most 

 useful and economical. There cannot be a doubt but 

 that tlie introduction of these engines will extend the 

 circle of purchasers very materially, and that many who 

 have not had scope to justify the purchase of one of our 

 larger engines, will not hesitate to invest in these, which 

 are at once more suitable and loss expensive. We were 

 glad to see that special provision had been made for 

 drills and horse-hoes for our hilly lands ; and the far- 

 mers of such land will welcome Messrs. Holmes' (of 

 Norwich) drills and Mr. Carson's (of Warminster) 

 horse-hoes. 



I fear I have already prolonged my letter on the im- 

 plement department to too great length. But there are 

 some points I wish to notice in the live-stock department. 

 The remarks made by Mr. Smith at the annual dinner 

 are worthy of much consideration, striking as they can- 

 not fail to be ; but in no respect are they more impor- 

 tant than on the subject so briefly(for the present) alluded 

 to — the girths of different sheep. Certainly the Ex- 

 moors showed themselves to very great advantage at 

 this Show ; and although it must be admitted that more 

 care had evidently been given in preparing them for the 

 Show, yet it must also be granted that they proved 

 themselves worthy of it, and came out to the admiration 

 of all. It does appear to us that these sheep have an 

 extraordinary vigour of constitution, combined with 

 their other good qualities — viz,, good breeders, excel- 

 lent nurses, prime quality meat, an aptitude for fatten- 

 ing, and the energy and strength necessary for grazing 

 hilly pastures. The show of cattle was very good ; and, 

 altogether, we think the Welsh farmers must have been 

 astonished to see the perfection to which farm-stock 

 and implements have been brought; and this seems the 

 more probable, when we remember the extraordinary 

 pens of sheep exhibited from the neighbourhood of Car- 

 diff. These certainly showed the necessity for improved 

 blood in the Welsh^ flock, more skill in the shearers, 

 and more knowledge of the value of cake and artificial 

 food for stock intended to be exhibited. 



I am. Sir, your obedient servant, 



A West Country Farmer. 



