THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



213 



Co.'s ; it was well tedded by the haymakers ; and, at the 

 close of the day, was nearly ready for leading. The 

 competitors in this class were Messrs. Wyatt ; Samuel- 

 son ; Barrett, Exall, and Co. ; Smith and Ashby ; 

 Nicholson; Ransomes and Sims; Thompson; Lane; 

 and Silcock. The field was small ; and no extended 

 trial could be permitted to any one. Those which 

 obtained most favour with the judges were subsequently 

 put to a second test— certainly a very severe one ; for 

 the grass, being very heavy, and partially withered, be- 

 gan hanging so tenaciously together, as to require con- 

 siderable effort to scatter it abroad. 



Mr. Nicholson's machine appeared to attack and 

 scatter the heavy lumps or accumulations of grass with 

 perfect ease, and could not be made to clog. It is 

 very simple in its construction, light in draught, and 

 has a very rapid and good backward motion. Its teeth 

 are in good form, as the grass was thrown off with- 

 out difficulty. The mechanical arrangements are 

 simple ; and the various adjustments for increasing its 

 speed, altering its motions, raising and lowering the 

 forks, and to prevent clogging, are very satisfactory. 

 It is fitted with tubular iron shafts. Price £lb. Prize 

 of ^4. 



Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrewe's machine was 

 selected for a second trial, and, after a close competition, 

 was awarded the second prize of £3. It is also of 

 simple construction and easy adjustment. It has a 

 lever reversmg movement, the oiling parts covered by 

 a cylinder. The backward motion did not tell well, 

 the hay not being sufficiently moved ; but this might 

 have been easily altered, could time have been given. 

 It did not clog in the severe test it was put to. Price 

 £14. 



Messrs. Smith and Ashby's machine came nest in the 

 trial. It did its work adm.irably, both in its forward and 

 backward motion ; but, in the very severe test it was put 

 to, it betrayed symptoms of clogging, though we believe 

 it did not actually do so. It is of excellent construction, 

 and simple in its various adjustments for facilitating; it 

 in work, reversing its action, and raising or lowering 

 its tines. Few can equal it ; but the price is higher 

 than some others — £15 15s. 



JMr. II. A. Thompson's machine proved itself next in 

 favour, although its price is i. 16 16s. In work, it did 

 well in every respect ; and its mechanical construction, 

 and adjustment for promoting its steadiness in work, 

 are good. Its tines have double prongs, for giving 

 better effect in forward and backward action. 



Ransomes and Sims' machine is the same in pattern 

 as Nicholson's. It is exceedingly well manufactured. 

 Price £16 16s. 



Wyatt's is a well-made machine. It has several 

 peculiar adaptations, which are very ingenious ; and the 

 price is moderate — £'14 14s. It worked fairly, but 

 could not stand a severe test vnthout clogging. 



Samuelson's machine, by some unhappy adjustment, 

 failed in its work, and clogged. Price £13 13s. 



Silcock's machine, in trial, also failed, the grass being 

 scarcely moved. This was owing also to some unhappy 

 adjastment. 



Lane's machine did not work satisfactorily, and only 

 from similar causes. 



Mr. Nicholson also exhibited a two-horse machine, 

 suitable for large occupations. It did not work with 

 the same facility as the smaller one, although upon the 

 same principle in construction. The grass did not be- 

 come wholly disengaged from one set of teeth before 

 being caught by another set, on the rake-tSeth cylinder 

 following. It was highly commended. 



HORSE RAKES. 

 This is also the triennial test of horse-rakes. 

 There were thirteen competitors— Messrs. Samuel- 



son, Fisher, Howards, Williams, Barrett and Co., 

 Smith and Ashby, Cooper, Ransomes and Sims, 

 Thompson, Woodburne, Silcock, Urry, and Rowsell. 

 They were called forth to their work in the above order. 

 The field was much too small for an effective trial ; yet 

 we must say sufficient was performed to fairly entitle the 

 judges to give a decision, as every rake was put through 

 " the same paces." They were first directed to pass 

 across the heavy field of well-tedded grass, for the 

 purpose of drawing it into wind-rows — not a legitimate 

 business for a horse-rake, we admit ; but if capable of 

 doing it, all the better ; and the grass must be removed, 

 or no clean raking can follow. In this department of 

 the trial it v/as manifest some rakes had a decided supe- 

 riority, and some would not do tliis kind of work at all ; 

 subsequently Rowseli's largewind-rowing and barley rake 

 was put to the work, and all was drawn into rows 

 very satisfactorily, and the clean-raking commenced. 

 We will just run through our note-book of the various 

 trials. 



Mr. Samuelson exhibited arakeinvented by Marychurch, 

 of Haverfordwest. Ithas aself-relieviog movement, which 

 can be taken advantage of, if required ; but we did not see 

 it applied, the side movement for relieving the rake 

 being lifted by a string held by the leader ; it has also a 

 peculiar screw appliance for depressing or raising the 

 teeth. Price £8 8s. ; takes 6 feet. It drew up the heavy 

 grass tolerably, and worked pretty well in clean-raking, 

 the leader relieving it from the front. It was highly 

 commended for the peculiar facility in its delivery, being 

 nearly self-acting. 



Mr. Fisher's came nest. The beams are of 

 tubular iron, and teeth of spring-steel of some- 

 what peculiar form; straight beams, teeth curving 

 forward. This rake can be relieved by either leader or 

 driver, from bfehiud or by the horse's side. Price £7 

 10s. ; takes 7 feet. It worked very well in every respect, 

 and the simplicity of its construction is commendable ; 

 but we thought the price rather high. Prize, £1. 



Messrs. Howard's rake next appeared, and, like every 

 implement brought forward by these indefatigable men, 

 was ready for its work at once. It is prepared for a weed 

 extirpator as well as a rake, by affixing a small tine to 

 the back of the rake tooth. The teeth are of steel, and 

 of great length and capacity, and curved so high that 

 obstructions rarely interfere ; and they can be set so as 

 to ride over the ground and gather the barley without 

 the soil. The lifting-bar is above the teeth, giving it an 

 advantage in filling and emptying ; the fixing link to the 

 lifting bar looks objectionable. Takes 7 feet 3 inches. 

 Price £8 10s. It drew up the heavy grass admirably, 

 and in clean-raking could not do better. The prize of 

 £3. 



Williams' rake was next tried. It is a long and 

 very superior rake, taking 7 feet 6 inches, of easy and 

 simple construction. The compound lever makes it 

 easy to lift on emptying, and it has a good adjustment 

 for permitting the teeth to swim over the surface, so as 

 to gather the barley and leave the soil. It drew up the 

 long grass well into rows, and nearly clean ; in the clean- 

 raking it did very nicely. Highly commended for its 

 easy compound lever-lift and general arrangement. 

 Price £7 10s. 



Messrs. Barrett and Co.'s came next. This is a 

 useful rake; but its teeth are too short, and the 

 weight not heavy enough, for the severe trial of drawing 

 up heavy grass. Rakes very well in clean-raking. 

 Price £7 17s. 



Messrs. Smith and Ashby came next under the 

 judges' inspection. This is the old improved Stam- 

 ford rake, and few excel it. Its steel teeth make 

 it expensive, £8 ; and it is rather short, taking 7 feet. 

 It is light, but works remarkably well. The teeth are 



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