THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



9 



A Weekly Council was held oa Wednesday, the 

 17th of June, present: Colonel Challoner, Trustee 

 On the chair), Lord Serners, Lord Southampton, Lord 

 Walsingham, Lord Feversham, Lord Denman, Hon. A. 

 Leslie Melville, Hon. Judge French (New England), 

 Sir Watkins Williams Wynn, Bart., M.P., Sir Baldwin 

 Leighton, Bart., Sir Montague John Cholmeley, Bart., 

 M.P., Mr. Henry Allen, Mr. Amos, Mr. Appold, Mr. 

 Asplin, Mr. Raymond Barker, Mr. Raymond Barker 

 (of Fairford), Mr. Barnett, Mr. Hodgson Barrow, M.P., 

 Mr. Bastard, Mr. Bligh, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Camps, 

 Rev. Thomas Cator, Mr. Chadwick, Mr. Corbet, Mr. 

 Lewis Cottam, Mr. Dashwood, M. de Trehonnais, Pro- 

 fessor Dick (of Edinburgh), Mr. Festing, Mr. Frere, 

 Mr. Elliott Fuller, Mr. Garrett, Mr. Glegg, Mr. 

 Hartas, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. Horner, Mr. James 

 Howard, Rev. T. C. James, Mr. Kingsmill Key, Mr. 

 Manning, Mr. Miles, M.P., Professor Morton (of the 

 R. V. college), Mr. Chalmers Morton, Mr. Mundy, 

 Mr. Pain (Mayor of Salisbury), Mr. Parkins, Mr. Po- 

 cock, Mr. Pope, General Porter, Mr. Scott, Mr. Sidney, 

 Professor Simonds, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Slaney, M.P., 

 Professor Solly, Professor Spooner, Mr. Trench, Mr. 

 Trimmer, Mr. Tunno, Mr. Vyner, Mr. Bullock Web- 

 ster, Mr. Burch Webster, Mr. Maitland Wilson, Major 

 WoUaston, and Mr. George Wood. 



Motive Power. — The following paper, on an im- 

 proved mode of applying horse-power to machinery, 

 weight being used as the prima mover, in place of 

 muscular force, was read before the Council by Mr. 

 Isaac Hartas, Wrelton Hall, Yorkshire — 



The progress which has been made in the adaptation of 

 machinery to the requirements of agriculture of late years 

 has been so great, that it is difficult to strike at any new 

 suggestions of a practical nature. 



VVe find, however, that the greater part of the machinery 

 for producing power has steam as its prime mover, and is to 

 a considerable extent superseding the use of horses for this 

 purpose. There is no question, where a large amount of 

 work is required to be performed in a short time, or where 

 there is constant employment, steam-power has no superior ; 

 hut on the other hand, there are a class of farms on which 

 steam is little used, and onl}' at considerable intervals of 

 time, yet we find many of the new machines requiring 

 power are being gradually introduced amongst this class, 

 to whom the use of a more perfect small horse-ongine 

 ■would be of great advantage, in place of manual labour, 

 or the imperfect, or rather ill-adapted, horse-works at pre- 

 sent in use. 



Nor would the advantage be confined to small holdings 

 alone. It is admitted that food freshly prepared (both chaff 

 and roots) is more palatable and beneficial to animals — 

 science from day to day points out that it is only by right ap- 

 plication we can economize labour and increase production. 



I submit for examination a more ready and simple mode of 

 usiag horae-power than the circular wheel now in use. By 

 employing the weight of the animal, in place of his muscular 

 force by traction, it will be seen, in the first place, that com- 

 mand is gained over the full power produce 1, since his volition 

 ceases, and, secondly, that this power can be transmitted to 

 any machinery, to be acted upon without loss and with great 

 regularity. 



The principle of using a moveable weight upon a wheel, or 

 inside a circular trough, is old, and has been applied in various 

 ways. The origin of the machine exhibited is American, where 

 the power is used for cutting wood in the forests to supp'y 

 railway engines with fuel, for ferrying boats, and a variety of 

 purposes. 



The improvements I have made and patented secure an 

 engine of greater simplicity of parts, less liable to deiauge- 



ment, more easily repaired if broken, and of greater power, 

 the friction being reduced to the lowest point. The whole 

 machine is constructed to give the greatest amount of strength 

 with the least weight of material ; the friction pulleys are cast 

 in boxes and case-hardened, and the steel rods are made 

 expressly for this machine, requiring great truth in shape and 

 external hardness in texture. 



In a short time, after the novelty of the situ?t;ou has 

 expended itself, no chains or other attachment is required to 

 steady the horse, as he ceases to use bis tractile force, and may 

 be put upon the platform without a collar, performing 

 his work perfectly. A heavy yet active horse will exert 

 the most power, for the impetus which the elastic action 

 of the muscles communicate gives a springiness to the 

 motion, which, if in direct communication with a machine, 

 assists materially in overcoming any additional strain ; as, for 

 instance, a knotty piece of wood under the circular saw. By 

 this means the action becomes more uniform than where 

 either the communication is indirect, or where a sluggish 

 animal is employed. 



The advantage detailed in the foregoing letters show that a 

 large amount of work can be performed with few hands and a 

 small power ; and there are many other uses to which this 

 machine can be applied judiciously. By attaching a force- 

 pump, not only can water be supplied to the whole of a farm- 

 ing or domestic establishment, but with a proper hose and 

 nozzle a fire-engine can be iu play in a short space of time, 

 capable of acting with great force on either buildings or rick 

 yard ; and iu placing the machine in farm premises, ilie prox- 

 imity of the rickyard should be considered. It will also act well 

 for a liquid-manure pump ou many small farms ; and tven on 

 those of cousiderable size, where there ia no fixed steam-power, 

 the products of the tank could be readily applied, by pumping 

 to a sufficient altitude to ensure a flow to the nearest fields. 

 It has often occurred to me, that a ready mode of using; that 

 which we have at command from a gradual aceunuilatiou is 

 more desirable, and in the generality of cases would be more 

 profitable, than the manufacture of lijuid in quantity sufficient 

 to justify the use of steam. 



I may add that several pumps have been erected and arc 

 working well ; one with two horses at Naffertou, in York- 

 shire ; at Thilton Hall, near Malton, with two horses ; a 

 single horse at the Maltoa and Pickering Station j of the 

 North Eastern Railway, for supplying their engines with 

 water. These were erected under the superintendence of Wm. 

 aud Thos. Hodgson, of Stonegate, York, and with their double 

 action pumps. 



The space occupied in the erection is small ; and it h, there- 

 fore, available where larger horse-worka could not be used, and 

 particularly in towns where space is valuable — the stall in a 

 stable being sufficient. In case a shed is purposely built, the 

 dimensions for two horses are 14 feet by 8 iu width, and for 

 one horse 14 feet by 6, and 10 feet in heighc. The shed 

 should be as open as possible, for the purpose of ventilation, 

 and is best built on brick pillars. The expense will, of course, 

 vary much in accordance with the price of the materials used, 

 and the locality, &c., but it may be fairly estimated at from 

 £10 to £12. 



The price of one-horse engine, delivered at the £ s. d 

 station of the North Eastern Railway, with 



thrashing machine complete .. .. .. 30 10 



Two-horse power ditto, nearly equal to three- 

 horse power by the ordinary mode of working 410 

 One-horse for chaff cutting, &o. .. .. .. 18 13 



Ditto for pumping .. .. .. .. 21 



Ditto with force-pump attached .. .. .. 35 



Two-horse power machine .. .. .. 27 



Messrs. Burgess and Key, of Newgate-street, have under- 

 taken the agency for London, and have one of these machines 

 at their warehouse for exhibition ; it will also be shown by 

 them at the forthcoming show of this society. 



Mr. Chadwick, C.B., then favoured the Council with 

 a statement of his information on the same subject, the 

 full details of which we postpone until our next publici- 

 tion. — The Hon. Judge French (of New England), Mr. 

 Amos, and Mr. Slaney, M.P., also expressed their re- 

 spective opinions. 



