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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



THE GREAT HUNGARIAN AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT BUDA PESTH. 



The show commenced on the 6th of June, and vir- 

 tually finished on the 11th ; but three days more were 

 occupied in the distribution of the prizes, and the 

 sale and disposal of machinery. So strong was the 

 desire to do business, on the part of the Hungarians, 

 that several of the English exhibitors were occupied up 

 to the last hour, either in taking orders or in sending 

 away what they had sold. It was remarked by several 

 of the leading visitors that, had it been known that the 

 English intended to appear in such strong force, and 

 make such an excellent display of implements, a much 

 larger number of the Hungarian cultivators would have 

 been present. The desire is very great, on the part of 

 the latter, to possess themselves of labour-saving ma- 

 chines of the best construction, from the necessity of 

 adopting the most economic means of cultivating the 

 soil, now that the peasant is free, and hand-labour ex- 

 ceedingly scarce and high-priced. 



As regards the trials — if such a term may be applied 

 to the several essays that took place of the machines 

 and implements — they were simply remarkable for the 

 deep interest which the Hungarians took in witnessing 

 them. The superiority of the English being duly 

 acknowledged, the only serious consideration involved 

 in the several essays that took place was, the occasional 

 preference given to one English implement over an- 

 other, both bearing, perhaps, a well-known character of 

 excellence amongst ourselves. As an instance of this 

 feeling, we may adduce the marked predilection for 

 Howards' ploughs — more marked, indeed, than it was 

 at Vienna ; and to such an extent was this feelin;^ car- 

 ried, that the implements were kept working for several 

 days, almost without intermission, and under every 

 possible method of applying them to the land, so deter- 

 mined were the Hungarian cultivators not to take 

 things on trust, and to purchase an implement or ma- 

 chine simply because it might have obtained a high 

 position in the market. This feeling will readily be 

 conceived, when our readers are informed that the Hun- 

 garians give large orders for implements, when they 

 thoroughly approve of them, as their estates are very 

 extensive : therefore, a great number are required to 

 properly cultivate them. A landed proprietor, for in- 

 stance, thinks little of ordering twenty, fifty, or even a 

 hundred ploughs at once; and if his land is in pretty 

 good condition, it is common to find either three or four 

 steam-engines and thrashing machines on the estate, 

 with others in due proportion, to correspond with the 

 necessities of what we call ordinary cultivation. 



Similar remarks may be applied to the thrashing ma- 

 chines. The character of that of Clayton and Shuttle- 

 Worth — of Ransome, Hornsby, and Garrett— is pretty 

 well known by our agriculturists, and, no doubt, justly 

 appreciated, according to the peculiar requirements of 

 each purchaser, or the fancied superiority of one ma- 

 phine over another. This, after all, is a matter which 



easily adjusts itself with us ; but on the Continent 

 practical experience discloses a somewhat different state 

 of things : and, as we have had some few opportunities 

 of judging of these matters, we must say that more 

 discrimination and practical judgment were exhibited at 

 Pest, as regards selection, than we could really have 

 expected, or that we had hitherto witnessed either at 

 Vienna, Paris, or Brussels. The principle upon which 

 the Hungarians generally acted in purchasing and 

 ordering thrashing machines must be acknowledged as 

 sound and true — namely, simplicity of construction 

 and economy of means to produce the best results. For 

 this reason, the machines mostly selected and admired 

 were those of Clayton and Shuttleworth, and Ransome 

 and Sims; and as regards the two, the preference was 

 perhaps in favour of the latter. It was easily observed 

 by the Hungarians that, for simplicity of construction 

 and economy, the rotatory motion must be preferred to 

 what is called the reciprocating motion, in thrashing 

 machines ; and as Ransomes have adopted as much as 

 possible the rotatory principle, their machine, on the 

 whole, was considered as having less tendency to shake 

 when at work, and to prove more durable, than those of 

 a different construction. The simplicity of construction, 

 also, of the machine of Clayton and Co., was justly ad- 

 mired ; and the attention which those manufacturers 

 uniformly pay to the working parts, did not escape the 

 observation of those who saw it in operation. The ma- 

 chine of Hornsby only arrived, by some mistake, on the 

 last day of the show : nevertheless, it excited consider- 

 able interest, not only from its good working powers, 

 but also from its high finish, and from its being con- 

 structed upon different principles to those just men- 

 tioned. The " screw-deliver/," however, in place of 

 the " shogging" boards, has to prove its superiority to 

 the Hungarians ; and if there be an economy in its use, 

 they will not be long in finding it out : but wherever 

 complication prevailed in the construction of a machine, 

 though admired perhaps for its ingeniously-working 

 power, it was naturally inferred that repairs must be of 

 frequent occurrence ; and, consequently, it did not 

 command so many purchasers as those where simplicity 

 was the leading characteristic. 



THE SHOW 



Was held in the Ivoztelek, or what may be termed 

 the showyard of the Hungarian Agricultural Society. 

 Tlie building, of which the yard forms a mere adjunct 

 is rather an imposing structure, and commodiously 

 arranged for its purpose. A handsome staircase of marble 

 steps and gilt-bronzed balustrade, leading to a series of 

 upper rooms, faces you on entering the building, and on the 

 ground floors are arranged the business oflices for the pre- 

 sident, secretary, and others. 



In the yard behind, a series of sheds were constructed for 

 sheep and cattle, which were also appropriated to imple- 

 ments and machines that required a comparatively dry space 



