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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



more than once became imbedded in one or other of the 

 cross-grijis. The trial of ploughs and subsoilers took 

 place in the bottom field, and grubbers in a field near 

 the station. The mowing machines, also, were 

 close at hand, and the reaping machines and potato- 

 diggers on Major Scott's farm. The trial of steam- 

 ploughs was first commenced ; the competitors, Messrs. 

 Boydell and Fowler. Boydell having his traction engine, 

 with three ploughs and Cotgreave's trenching apparatus 

 combined ; Fowler, his prize steam-plough, of the 

 Chester Meeting. Descriptions of both these engines 

 and ploughing apparatus have so often appeared in the 

 Mark Lane Express, that we shall forbear any detailed 

 account now. We did not notice anything new in either 

 engine or implement. The judges commenced work in a 

 systematic way ; land was marked out, coals weighed, 

 time taken, steam got up, and the start given at 9.56, 

 Boydell's with a pressure of 701bs., andFowler's of651bs., 

 to the square-inch. For a time all went on well, but 

 at 10.55 Boydell's was fast in a cross-grip recently filled 

 in ; he started again at 12.37, ploughing and subsoiling, 

 with two ploughs, at a depth of about 13 inches; in 

 another bout or two, owing to a heavy shower softening 

 the land, and notwithstanding every precaution of plank- 

 ing the grips, the engine became again imbedded, and 

 was not put again into competition during the 

 day. It was at length got out in the evening, and placed 

 on safe ground. On Thursday it was to be tried at Tem- 

 ple Moyle, near Derry. Fowler worked awhile with his 

 frame of four plough-bodies, but finding the public were 

 desirous of seeing his trenching work, the trenching- 

 bodies frame was attached, and excellent work was ac- 

 complished — such, in fact, as we have not before seen 

 him effect ; the deep loam much softened forming no 

 great obstacle. The crowding now became so great, 

 and the impossibility of keeping a clear course being 

 evident, the judges left the manager to work 

 for some hours, whilst they went to test ploughs, 

 subsoilers, harrows, &c. Subsequently, on the 

 dispersion of the crowd, time was again taken 

 and land measured, and the ploughman directed to fol- 

 low the course adopted in this district to plough w'ith 

 horses going slowly, lie did so ; and finished the 

 acre in one hour and nineteen minutes, doing the work 

 in a truly business-like manner. On Tuesday he per- 

 formed for the public inspection. Woofe tried his well- 

 known parer, which worked fairly ; but the surface was 

 BtiflT, and broke considerably. He appeared to give 

 great satisfaction. 



Ploughs.— In the common ploughing for testing the 

 merits of the various ploughs were Messrs. R. Gray, of 

 Belfast ; John Gray and Co., of Uddingston, near Glas- 

 gow ; Law, of Shettleston, near Glasgow ; Sweeny, of 

 Drumarky, Limerick ; Gallagher, of Strabane ; Barber, 

 of Londonderry ; Allen, of Moneymore ; Richmond 

 and Chandler ; and a second plough of Gray, of 

 Uddingston ; the competition was exceedingly good — 

 far better than at VVaterford. All were subjected to the 

 test of the dynamometer. The palm lay between Gray's, 

 (of Uddingston) No. 2 and Richmond and Chandler's 

 ploughs, both much upon the same model, the latter be- 



ing Howard's ploughP2, Mr. Norton showing it as agent. 

 The prize was at length borne away by Gray and Co., 

 and certainly with a very superior plough, of light 

 draught, and nearly a perfect model. We question the 

 desirability of manufacturers permitting their agents to 

 attempt to win prizes in these close competitions, unless 

 an especial ploughman can be had. Messrs. Richmond 

 and Chandler did all they possibly could to ensure a fair 

 trial for their plough, but not a single Irishman could 

 be found wlio could work a wheel-plough ; consequently 

 the work was indifferently done. The plough, how- 

 ever, received a high commendation. 



Subsoilers. — In this class Messrs. Gray, Gray and 

 Co., Laws, Richmond and Chandler (Lord Beauclerk's), 

 Bentall, and Sheridan were competitors. The dynamo- 

 meter showed a marked difference in the power re- 

 quired, but it was not easy to tell tiie amount of soil 

 moved ; each, however, was fixed to work at a depth of 

 six inches below the furrow-sole. Gray's, of Belfast, 

 denoted the lightest draught at this depth, and conse- 

 quently received the prize ; but we question its applica- 

 bility as a general subsoiler : it is too small. 



Grubbers. — These implements belonged to Messrs. 

 Gray, Gray and Co., Laws, and Sheridan, and were 

 merely taken out to satisfy the judges respecting a de- 

 cision made in the yard without trial, which proved de- 

 cidedly correct. All worked well, but Gray and Co.'s 

 the best. 



Mowing Machines.— The field was so full of 

 deep grips, that it was with great hazard to the ma- 

 chines that the judges were enabled to come to any test of 

 merit ; just enough only was done to show the capability 

 of each. Messrs. Dray and Co., Gardiner, Wood (Man- 

 ning's patent), and Banks (disc machine) were competi- 

 ' tors ; but it was soon seen that Manny's had the supe- 

 riority. 



Haymakers were also very imperfectly tried, the day 

 turning out wet, and then, those terrifying grips ! How- 

 ever, Messrs. Sheridan's, Smith and Ashby's, and 

 Richmond and Chandler's (Nicholson's) were tried as 

 well as circumstances would permit, and the prize was 

 again awarded to Smith and Ashby, and, so far as we 

 could observe, deservedly, for it threw up the green 

 clover to a great height, the wind scattering it all 

 directions. The others scattered it more regularly be- 

 hind it, but did not throw so high. 



Diggers. — These were all after Hanson's patent, 

 and, when properly adjusted, made equally good 

 work : some little difference in details in the con- 

 struction, therefore, guided the judges. 



Reapers. — This trial took place amidst a heavy 

 fall of rain, and, of course, militated against the 

 working of those possessing complicated machi- 

 nery. There were on the ground Burgess 

 and Key's, exhibited by a neighbouring gentleman 

 who had bought it, Clayton and Co.'s, Gardiner's, 

 Dray and Co.'s, and Bank's disc machine. The field 

 of oats was rather light and grassy. Mr. Macrory 

 is an extensive miller and farmer, and not con- 

 versant with the working of Burgess and Key's machine; 

 he had also to hire a pair of strange horses — small Irish 



