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tup: FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



aa implement - maker, wiping his brow, declares 

 " these meetings are weariug him out." 



We speak liere more especially with reference to the 

 Implement Section of the Show, which has now come 

 to the third year of the triennial experiment. Regarding 

 this at first with some distrust, as, perhaps, but the 

 means to another end, we are bound to record it as 

 having worked most satisfactorily. The system has al- 

 lowed of a certain method and testing-power never 

 before arrived at, and which has progressively cul- 

 minated to Chester. The trials, both in the yard and 

 the field, were never so searching; and, as a rule, never 

 were the prizes so fairly won. And tho great interest 

 of the occasion centered here. How long is it since 

 the steam plough was laughed off the ground at the 

 Shrewsbury Show ? A sufficient time, at any rate, to 

 permit of its being somewhat improved upon when it 

 came to bo tried again in the same neighbourhood. 

 We have already entered so fully on tlie performances of 

 the steam cultivators, that we shall not repeat our 

 selves. The report, however, is wanting in one im- 

 portant point, for the solution of which the agri- 

 cultural world has been long waiting. Is there a 

 steam plough the Society can daie to recommend ? 

 And, if so, whose has the preference ? But, provokingly 

 enough, this is the only blank in our Prize Lists. 

 The judges of steam-ploughs are not suflered to arrive 

 themselves at the dignity of a decision. They can only 

 ofilr their recommendation to the Council, who will 

 consider this at their next meeting, eaily in August. 

 The race from the first hasbeen entirely between Fowler's 

 plough and Smith's cultivator; and it is now said the 

 judges will advise a moiety o?jZ«/ of the five hundred 

 pounds being paid to Mr. Fowler, and an extra medal 

 of merit being given for the Woolston machine. As 

 a specimen of good ploughing, whether economically 

 or not, the former did all that was required of it. The 

 working of Smith's grubber was not so thoroughly 

 under.^tood by those who had but little time to studj' 

 its straight and cross action ; but it is, unquestionably, 

 a farmer's implement. It is, indeed, the only one the 

 practical man has yet fairly taken to ; and, on the very 

 Wednesday we witnessed it at work in Cheshire, a 

 number of his brother agriculturists and next-door 

 neighbours were presenting Mr. Smith with a testi- 

 monial in favour of his invention, at Newport Pagnell, 

 in Buckinghamshire. lie has, however, to especially 

 thank the Jlessrs. Howard, of Bedford, for the interest 

 taken in his implement at Chester. Their entry and 

 management of it has been most liberal minded, and 

 useful in its results. 



Tho steam- plough is in every way an "extraor- 

 dinary" feature iu the business of this anniversary. 

 The third division of the implement prize-sheet should 

 bring us, in due course — after having prepared the land 

 and secured the crops— to getting them ready for market. 

 Wo make another apjilication here again to steam- 

 power, but in a phase now familiar enough. Indeed 

 one might, by this, engrave the Engine on a seal as the 

 emblem of agriculture; or take for our motto, "Get 

 up the steam," in place of "Speed Iho plough." 



Considering the original outlay, and the uses to which 

 it can be turned, the purchase of a good steam-engine 

 must always be a serious matter with the farmer. 

 The Royal Agi-icultural Society has certainly done it8 

 best to assist him. The Carlisle award, still, rnay have 

 taken the Council, as it did a majority of the public, 

 somewhat by surprise. Many would have it, indeed, it 

 was an achievement that wanted confirmation. Tux- 

 ford's engine had won from a lucky accident, or else by 

 a means that could never be made applicable to every- 

 day work. We question whether the active members 

 of the Cotmcil ever took more interest than they felt 

 over the decision ofthis prize at Chester. The trial is 

 altogether unparalleled .for the care with which it was 

 entered on ; and we believe the exhibitors generally 

 admit the justice and true principle upon which 

 the issue was arrived at. Our report has shown 

 that tlie three firms distinguished at Carlisle occupied 

 again precisely their formtr positions — Tuxford 

 first, Clayton and Shuttleworth second, and Ilornsby 

 third. That is, Tuxfords' engine ran the longest; but 

 it was found to be equally excellent on the other 

 "points" of utility and construction, and the first 

 prize of course awarded to it. We shall allow a con- 

 temporary — The Times — to speak to its especial 

 merits : " Tho trials have been conducted with greater 

 strictness than on any previous occasion; j'et Tuxfords*, 

 Clayton's, and Ilornsby 's engines stand in the same 

 relative position to each other as at Carlisle. On that 

 occasion the unsurpassed performance of the prize en- 

 gine was attributed to the great number of its tubes ; 

 but here we have an engine of precisely similar con- 

 struction, only with about half as many tubes, again 

 successful over all competitors. And this engine has 

 not only proved the soundness of the principles on 

 which it is built, but is remarkable for the extraoi'di- 

 nary finish of the workmanship — not in polishing up, 

 but in trueness of fitting, and tho uniformly excellent 

 and beautiful adjustment of the parts to each other. 

 The peculiarity of Tuxford and Sons' engine consists in 

 the cylinder being vertical, so as to avoid the usual 

 wearing of horizontal ones ; while the working parts 

 are inclosed in an iron ' house ' at one end of the boiler, 

 and kept free from dust, and under lock and key when 

 not iu use. They had also a horizontal engine iu the 

 yard, and tho Judges were offered whiclievcr they chose 

 for trial. The engines chiefly sent out by this firm 

 have both flues and return-lubes — a somewhat more 

 expensive construction, but giving tho greatest dura- 

 bility, and freedom from liability to leakage or burn- 

 ing." For the twclve-hor.-e portable engine, the 

 Messrs. Ilornsby improve upon their place in the 

 eight-horse-power trial. But it would be affec- 

 tation not to say that tho decision of the Judges has 

 given rise to endless discussion, if not more boldly 

 expressed dissatisfaction. As a principle, wo are 

 ever loath to question what the Judges decide. In 

 these times, they must have some known quali- 

 fication for the appointment they take, while their 

 opportunities for inspection, or rather, rigid exami- 

 nation, are of course infinitely superior to those of a 



