TMK FARMKR'S MAGAZINE, 



m 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 



MEETING AT CHESTER. 



TRIAL OF THE STEAM CULTIVATORS. 



The Society having deteraiiued to give a more 

 lengthened as well as thorough trial to these im- 

 portant pieces of machinery, orders were issued to its 

 Judges to be at their post several days earlier than 

 on any previous occasion. Accordingly, under the 

 directorship of the indefatigable Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, 

 and the gentlemanly and business-like stewardship of 

 Sir Archibald Macdonald, the four gentlemen selected as 

 representatives of the mechanical knowledge and practical 

 experience of the agriculturists of England — namely, 

 Professor Wilson (of Edinburgh), Mr. Shackel(of Read- 

 ing), Mr. Druce (of Ensham), and Mr. John Clarke (of 

 Long Sutton), assisted by Mr. Amos (the Society's 

 Consulting Engineer), by Mr. Appold, and other 

 amateur men of wisdom among wheels — began their 

 difficult and responsible labours on Tuesday last. Of 

 course, considerable time was taken up in measuring 

 and laying out the work, and in getting the various un- 

 v/ieldy or strange-looking machines to the scene of their 

 performances. 



The first trial-field was a piece of seeds of about ten 

 acres in extent, on the farm of Mr. Nicholls, of Chester, 

 and situated about a mile and a half north of the show- 

 yard. Though pretty level as respects the general 

 slope, the surface lay in ridge-and-furrow " lands" of 

 about 13 feet width ; and there was a long and shaggy 

 sward of rough grass, coltsfoot, couch, and thistles, 

 rendering smooth, clean, neatly-tucked ploughing im- 

 possible without a well-set skim coulter. Divided into 

 five equal plots. No. i fell to the lot of Mr. Burrell, for 

 his Boydell traction engine ; No. 2 to Messrs. Howard, 

 for their Smith's Woolston apparatus; No. 3 to Mr. 

 Rickett, of Buckingham, for his locomotive rotary 

 digger ; No. 4 to Mr. Fowler, for working the ploughs 

 of Mr. Crawley, of Newport Pagnell ; and No. 5 to Mr. 

 Fowler, for his own steam plough. On Tuesday these 

 were the only four inventions actually competing, though 

 Messrs. Tuxford's traction engine made its entry into 

 the trial-yard, and there are reported to be no less than 

 twelve exhibitors either of machines or models for steam 

 tillage. 



Without attempting a general description of the 

 different working parts of the four schemes (which, 

 very fortunately, represent as many distinct principles 

 — the locomotive traction engine, the locomotive engine 

 driving a revolving tiller, and two systems of wire-rope 

 traction), we may refer to those really new, and to im- 

 provements in the machines already noticed in detail 

 last year. 



The maia alterations observable in Burrell's traction 

 engine are, the gear-work for driving both carriage- 



wheels, instead of only one ; the new pinion and toothed 

 quadrant steerage, instead of the oU ship's rudder- 

 chains and pole ; and pieces to be attached to the shoes, 

 to guide them and give them a better hold on the 

 ground. There is also an additional force-pump, and 

 an extra lifting-pump, with 30 feet of India-rubber 

 suction-hose, for supplying the tender with water from 

 roadside streams or'field-ditches. The price is £800, 

 or £7dO without these extra pumps. In travelling 

 from the yard, a detour had to be made up a hill, in 

 order to avoid passing over a rather tender canal- 

 drawbridge; and, this slope of 1 in 10 being paved with 

 cobbles, the " shoes" or rail-pieces slipped, causing a 

 considerable delay ; and a slight accident occurred, as 

 the large tank, full of water, being drawn uphill, broke 

 away from the engine, and, running down, upset a horse 

 and cart. However, the ascent was finally made ; and 

 the engine, with its tank and Mr. Williams' frame of 

 six ploughs, proceeded to a field, for private trial by 

 the exhibitor, before being brought into contest in the 

 Society's arena. 



The apparatus invented by Mr. Smith, of W^oolston, 

 consists of an eight-horse portable engine, with double 

 cylinders, manufactured by Clayton, Shuttleworth, 

 and Co. ; a windlass of remarkably simple construc- 

 tion, made by Messrs. Humphries, of Pershore ; and 

 anchors, pulleys, wire-ropes, and implranents, turned 

 out by Messrs. Howard. The three-tined and 

 five-tined implements are well known, and also the 

 mode of hauling them by wire-ropes laid around the 

 compartment to be cultivated, and turning the imple- 

 ments at each end. A ridging plough with two mould- 

 boards is now employed, and turned round at the ends 

 in the same manner. The anchors consist of iron 

 frames, each having a couple of strong curved tines, 

 which are drawn into the ground by the strain of the 

 pulleys hooked to them. The windlass has two drums, 

 with horizontal axes, hung side by side, on separate 

 bearings, in a strong timber frame about 8 feet long by 

 5 feet wide, mounted on four travelling wheels. To 

 prevent its moving from its place, a chain connects it 

 with the engine. A double-toothed pinion on a trans- 

 verse shaft, driven by a rigger and strap from the engine 

 fly-wheel, gears alternately with teeth on the flanges of 

 either drum, being shifted along the shaft for this pur- 

 pose by a small lever; a break is pressed by a weight 

 against the side of each drum alternately ; and this is all 

 the machinery there is about it. In working, when the 

 implement arrives at the headland, the steam is shut 

 off; then the pinion can be shifted sideways, out of gear 

 with the drum which has been winding up the rope • 

 and when the other drum, which has been paying out 



