THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



high enough to rise within the steam-chest (or upper 

 boiler), so that there is no possibility of the tubes being 

 left uncovered upon any slope of ground. There are 

 two horizontal cylinders, reversing-motion, &c., and a 

 water-tank underneath the boiler. Both the hind- 

 wheels, of about 5| feet diameter, are driven by naeans 

 of spur-wheels and pinion, gearing with a pinion on the 

 crank-shaft ; but, for convenience, the motion is trans- 

 mitted by an intermediate shaft and spur-wheels, which 

 might perhaps be avoided in future machines. By 

 driving both the travelling wheels, the greatest amount 

 of " bite" or hold upon the ground is obtained ; and 

 this is still further augmented by purposely weighting 

 these wheels with metal, and so obtaining a rolling 

 weight, which does not increase friction. Boydell's 

 rails are attached to the peripheries ; and it is indeed 

 only by the help of this admirable invention that any 

 traction engine can haul a load over arable laud or up 

 steep inclines. The engine itself is enabled to be very 

 light, while of great power — that is, of about 7 tons 

 weight, we believe, with water, and yet working up to 

 50 or more horse-power, by employing the enormous 

 pressure of 300 or 320 lbs. per square inch. There is a 

 fearful explosive force in such an engine as this, and it 

 will be some time before farm-servants can be trusted to 

 keep one in order ; but Mr. Hall assures us that he has 

 worked the engine for three years in thrashing and 

 travelling from place to place with the machine, without 

 any damage whatever. The boiler is of very small 

 diameter (only 22 inches), and has been proved by cold- 

 water pressure up to 700 lbs. per square inch, and every 

 part of the engine is made of the necessary proportionate 

 strength. We understand the consumption of fuel is 

 unprecedentedly low. There is an appearance of com- 

 plication about the numerous pipes, cocks, and 

 mechanism ; but the whole machine is in a compact 

 space, being about 20 feet long. The steerage is effected 

 by a wheel and screw, which (regulated by a rod from 

 the back of the machine) alters the lock of the front 

 wheels. Owing, however, to the small size of the wheel 

 and a want of sufficiently rapid command over the move- 

 ment of this steerage, the engine met with some unfor- 

 tunate accidents and stoppages. Ascending the hill to 

 the trial field, and drawing one of Mr. Fowler's ploughs, 

 it fully showed the value of having so much motive- 

 power in a small compass. Mr. Hall proposes to work 

 a plough-frame without turning either implement or 

 engine rouud at the headlands : he simply traverses 

 backward and forward, alternately pulling and pushing 

 the plough. Thus, much time will be saved. The price 

 of this locomotive is ,£700. 



In leaving the subject of traction engines, we would 

 say that the practicability of ploughing by a locomotive 

 engine much more cheaply and rapidly than by horses 

 ought now to be considered as proven ; while the chief 

 difficulty in the way of digging-machines and rotary 

 tilling has also been removed by the ease with which the 

 " endless rail" carries a steam engine over the land. The 

 damage to the engine does not seem likely to be ex- 

 cessive, and the wear of the rails simply demands careful 

 lubrication. The only question with purchasers will be 

 whether traction engines cannot be constructed in a 

 better form than at present; and we hear of at least two 

 improvements in this point. One manufacturing firm 

 is making an exceedingly compact engine, in which 

 almost all the weight rests on the two large hind-wheels, 

 while only one steerage-wheel is placed in front ; and 

 both the large wheels are driven by gear-work from 

 the crank-shaft, allowance being made for their different 

 velocities in traversing curves by means of friction- 

 boxes. A patent has also been taken out for an ingenious 

 application of the peculiar bevel-wheel movement of the 

 chroaometric governor to this actuating of both wheels. 



We now come to the system of hauling by wire ropes, 

 and give it as our opinion that the hauling and locomo- 

 tive principles are now competing so equally, that, in all 

 probability, one will be found best in certain districts and 

 for particular purposes, while the other will also be in like 

 request under different circumstances and conditions. 

 Though the traction engine can ascend steep inclines and 

 travel over rough fallow, such an application of it cannot 

 be economical of power ; and, on the other hand, for 

 moderately level surfaces, the choice will most likely 

 be in its favour in preference to dragging by ropes. 



After the experience of a steam-culture trial last year, 

 we had expected the Society to be fully prepared with 

 suitable land, and ready with every arrangement for 

 serving out certain quantities of coal, testing the draught 

 of the implements by powerful dynamometers, and mea- 

 suring the extent of work done. But no such complete 

 trial seems to have been attempted ; and the steam 

 ploughs were set to work in a field which only the most 

 skilful driver could get into, through the stunt uphill 

 gateway of 8|-feet opening ; which was so lofty and 

 steep as to be too severe a strain to the equilibrium of 

 novel machinery most at home on level ground, and 

 which was of two strong and impracticable a quality to 

 be tilled when the engines had achieved the miracle 

 of climbing to it. No wonder therefore that in 

 place of accurate computations of outlay expended and 

 work performed, the only reliable conclusion we have is, 

 that steam ploughing can be effected possibly at less 

 cost than by horses ; and that while the wire-rope 

 methods are best for some purposes, a steam engine can 

 be usefully employed as a locomotive on farms and fields. 



Mr. J. A. Williams, of Baydon, Wilts, showed his 

 system of employing ordinary portable engines for 

 hauling implements. A windlass on travelling wheels 

 is attached to an engine by means of a timber framing 

 which incloses it like a pair of shafts, braced so as to 

 make one steady machine of the combined engine and 

 windlass, and yet so that the coupling-pieces are easily 

 unfastened and the frame removed. The windlass con- 

 sists of only one drum, which is driven by a cog-wheel, 

 pinion, chain-wheel, and a short pitch-chain gearing 

 with a pinion on the engine crank-shaft ; and by means 

 of another pitch-chain and a barrel winding up a rope 

 anchored a-head, the whole machine is made to progress 

 slowly along the headland. A water-tank and coal are 

 carried upon the windlass-carriage, which thus serves as 

 a " tender" to the engine ; and the weight makes it a 

 capital anchorage to resist the side-strain of the plough- 

 rope. Two engines with their windlasses are used, one 

 at each end of the field, alternately drawing the imple- 

 ment up and down : these being ordinary single-cylinder 

 engines, one of 7, the other of 6-horse power, and 

 weighing with windlass about 3^ tons each. This 

 arrangement is very excellent ; being as it is, or rather if 

 with only one engine and an anchored pulley, just the 

 simple inexpensive plan required by the farmer. The 

 price of each hauling machine, without the engine, is 

 ;gl20. Mr. Williams's weakest point is in the ploughing 

 implement, or the manner of working it. Being of 

 opinion that each plough must be hung on a lever and 

 be capable of instant adjustment independently of the 

 rest, he has six ploughs arranged v;ith a complication of 

 joints, slots, guides, chains, barrels, and handles under- 

 neath a strong timber frame of triangular form about 10 ft. 

 in length ; and each plough has a separate draught rod. 

 The ploughs are lowered or lifted in succession, just as 

 drill coulters are, so as to enter and leave their work 

 square up to the headlands. But he is obliged to have 

 a horse between a pair of shafts to steer the machine; 

 and by attempting too many furrows at ones, requires 

 also another horse to follow, dragging out the slack or 

 return rope. Altogether, si.x men and two horses are 



