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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



of Bristol^ Graham of Dublin, Gray of Belfast, Law 

 of Glasgow, Sheridan of Dublin, and Messrs. Allen and 

 Mitchell, Dublin. Messrs. Bentall's and Busby's 

 ploughs were also accepted for trial : the former did 

 not arrive in the clover lea field in time for trial, and 

 Busby's did not arrive in the Show Yard till after the 

 trials were concluded, which was so for unfortunate for 

 Mr. Busby, as, from its general form and clever adap- 

 tation of the mould- turner, it did fair to take the prize. 

 The implement-makers having arranged to put the 

 working of their ploughs into tlie hands of the Marquis 

 of Waterford's ploughmen, and the judges consenting, 

 the trial commenced, it being arranged that each 

 plough was to make four bouts, with furrows G inches 

 in depth and Qj to 10 inches in width, and the 

 dynamometer (Howard's) was to be applied on the 

 fourth bout to test the draught. Messrs. Fry's plough 

 was first tried. The work was well performed, the 

 furrow laid at a good inclination, and it made a fair and 

 pretty level furrow-sole. Theconstructionof the plough 

 is faulty in some respects. The mould-turner is too 

 short, and not of the precise inclination now so well 

 established ; and the draft irons being attached to each 

 end of the hake, they occasionally pressed uponthewheel. 

 The dynamometer gave an even indication, the extremes 

 being 3 cwt. to 51 cwt. Messrs. Graham's plough 

 was next tried. The work was fairly laid, but too up- 

 right ; the furrow-sole tolerably even, but much broken 

 up and too wide — in fact, thrusting the furrow-slice too 

 fai', and of course causing greater friction, and conse- 

 quently a greater draught. The mould-turner is short 

 and too wide, and the established incline is not brought 

 out, as is seen in Ransomes', Howard's, Busby's, &c., 

 &c. We say " estnbllshed," because the gradual 

 incline of these mould-turners have stood the test of 

 many trials, and fully proved their lightness of draught. 

 Mr. Graham's plough gave a more unequal indication 

 of the dynamometer, and the extremes were 3^ cwt. to 

 6 cwt. Messrs. Allen and Mitchell's plough was next 

 tried, but at once showed a bad construction, worked 

 very indifferently, and was ultimately withdrawn : 

 the inclination o< the mould-turner was manifestly bad, 

 particularly in the breast, which is highly raised 

 and breaks the furrow before it begins to turn it off. 

 Mr. Robert Gray's plough came next. It makes a 

 large and good furrow, but too flat, and the furrow- 

 sole was much broken up, scarcely any portion being 

 actually cut by the share. The furrow-slice was also 

 much broken, and very much pressed aside, leaving a 

 large broad furrow-sole. The dynamometer at once 

 showed the extent of the friction, and the indicator 

 gave the extremes of 4 to 6j cwt. — mould-turner very 

 short, and a great overlap. Mr. R. Law's plough was 

 next tried, and soon exhibited marks of decided su- 

 periority : the work was clean cut, and well laid at the 

 proper incline, leaving both a good furrow and furrow- 

 sole. In this plough was shown much of the true in- 

 cline, mould-turner being after the best pattern — it is 

 3 feet 6 inches long, with a share IH inches to point; 

 from point to draught-hake, I foot 10 inches; length of 

 plough from frame, 3 feet 10 inches, and 7 feet 3 inches to 

 point of stilt. The indications of dynamometer gave a 

 Yeryeven draught, the extremes being from 3 to 5 cwt., 

 and but twice reaching 5 cwt. in 31 tellings-off. Mr. 

 Sheridan's was next tried : this plough at the given 

 depth could not lay its work well, being too upright, 

 and the draught gave the extremes to 7 cwt. Mr. 

 Maher also tried a plough, intended more as a double 

 moulding plough, but with one mould-turner ; it did 

 tolerably in loose work. 



On Saturday the trial of Messrs. Moore and Clark's 

 American mowing machine took place in a plot of grass 

 by no means adapted to show its capabilities ; how- 



ever, it charged the rough grass and " old fog" (like 

 cutting through wool) in a workmanlike manner, and 

 made tolerable work. The trial was not considered a 

 fair one ; but as the grass was required for the tedding 

 machines, it was continued in work a considerable time. 



The tedding machines were next tried. — Messrs. Smith 

 and Ashby's, and Nicholson's (shown by Richmond and 

 Chandler). This was the closest trial of the meeting, 

 and was with difficulty decided. Messrs. Smith and 

 Ashby brought forward their old patent machine with 

 an improvement on the tooth, not the one shown by 

 them at Salisbury. After many severe tests, the palm 

 was awarded to this machine ; the other highly com- 

 mended. 



The horse rakes were next tried, and con- 

 sisted of those shown by Richmond and Chandler, 

 Garrett, Smith and Ashby, Fisher, Marychurch, 

 Allen and Mitchell, Gray and Heat, and Giblsons and 

 Co. The trial was not a satisfactory one, as it 

 was all grass, no hay ; but sufficient was 

 done to enable the judges to decide in favour of Rich- 

 mond and Chandler's rake (Williams' pattern). Messrs. 

 Marychurch's rake was highly commended; Mr. Gar- 

 rett's commended. 



On Monday Dray and Co.'s reaper underwent 

 a very satisfactory trial in a field of ripe wheat, 

 greatly incommoded by grass and weeds. The work 

 was well and closely cut, and so quickly as to keep 

 about a dozen women (capital binders) to bind after it. 

 Grubbers and ploughs followed : the ploughs merely to 

 show their adaptation to loose work or general plough, 

 ing, and with precisely the same result; and Mr. Law 

 took the prize. The grubbers, of which there were 

 many (Messrs. Bentall's, Graham's, Gray's, Allen and 

 Mitchell's, Law's, Milwaid and Sheridan's, and one or 

 two others) had a very unsatisfactory trial ; but as 

 grubbers, and not for general cultivation, the prize 

 was given to Mr. Gray, Mr. Graham's being highly 

 commended. The j udges then proceeded to the clover- 

 field, to try the mowing-machines of Messrs. Moore and 

 Clarke, and Messrs. Dray and Co. The clover was 

 in good order, and a most satisfactory trial took 

 place, both machines doing admirably. The superiority, 

 however, lay with the American, and received the prize 

 — Messrs. Dray's being highly, if not specially com- 

 mended. This concluded the field trials. On the fol- 

 lowing day the judges were occupied in the yard; as no 

 more time could be given to the field trials, only one 

 class of judges being engaged, whereas to make proper 

 trials three classes might have found full occupation. 

 The only trial which took place on that day was a 

 laughable one of churns, of which eight were put in com- 

 petition — i. e., Moore and Clark's Yankee Hydrother- 

 mal American ; Standing's oval upright, worked by two 

 dashers turning inside ; Shanahan's barrel old-fashioned 

 pattern, turned round on its own frame ; Richmond and 

 Chandler's, with double dashers ; Fisher's oblong, 

 worked by lever-dasher ; Gray's — the dashers are two 

 perforated boards with open ends, worked from either 

 end of churn, and turning opposite ways ; Shaw's up- 

 right round churn, with plunging dasher worked by 

 wheels ; and Allen and Mitchell's, worked by a large 

 fly-wheel motion lifting an upright plunging dasher, 

 upon the principle of beam-and-scale motion. These 

 were all supplied with milk (not cream, which 

 could not be obtained readily), according to the 

 request or approval of the exhibiters. All being in 

 readiness, time was called, and it was truly ludicrous to 

 see so many active fellows at work in right good earnest 

 upon such a business, some taking three, others two to 

 one each, according to size. The Yankee cheered first, 

 having obtained butter in ten minutes ; but the subse- 

 quent "gathering" was proportionately longer : he ob- 



