at the Bristol Meeting in 1842. 345 



^\\en for an expanding liorse-lioe and harrow^ a powerful, cheap, 

 and useful implement. 



Mr. Huck vale's single and double revolving hoe for thinning 

 and hoeing turnips on the ridge system of culture was tried in the 

 field, but under the disadvantage of there being no turnips in 

 growth on which to exhibit its powers. Owing to this circum- 

 stance, the judges would consider it to be presumption, on their 

 part, to offer an opinion on its practical efficiency. Whether a 

 machine can be made for materially aiding and expediting inanual 

 labour in the thinning of turnips, is a question which can only be 

 decided by ocular inspection and experience of its effects. It is 

 very desirable that this implement, which is simple, and requires 

 but little power, should be practically tested by agriculturists. 



To Mr. Richard Merrett, of Appleadon, near Newent, a prize 

 of 2/. was given for a Dutch horse-hoe and harrow attached. Credit 

 is due to Mr. Merrett for introducing into agriculture one of the 

 most efficient horticultural implements. It is particularly appli- 

 cable to the cleansing of drill-crops, on fen and peat soils, subject 

 to annual weeds, and to work between the rows of carrots, mangold- 

 wurzel, &c., when the land is not very hard and stiff. 



Scarifiers, Cultivators, ^c. — The extensive collection in the 

 show-yard of that powerful class of machines for cleansing and 

 working the soil, denominated scarifiers, cultivators, &c. &c., 

 passed under the examination and excited the admiration of the 

 judges; but, as there appeared to be no material improvement 

 effected in the construction of the most efficient of these implements 

 since the exhibition of last year, they did not consider themselves 

 justified in assigning the Society's prize to any one of them. A re- 

 ward was given to Messrs. Cottam and Hallen for a light scarifier, 

 or grubber, as it seemed well adapted to the use of the small farmer. 

 An enormous machine appeared in the collection of these gentle- 

 men, purporting to be a substitute for the plough, and to act as 

 a general cultivator of the surface of the soil — the invention of 

 Lady Vavasour. Upon trial on a favourable soil, both before and 

 after the plough, it was found that, instead of working the soil, 

 and leaving it in a friable, loosened, or dug state, the earth ad- 

 hered to the spoon-shaped teeth on the barrel, closed the spaces 

 between them, and accumulated until the machine became an 

 immensely heavy roller, consolidating the ground, and completely 

 reversing the intentions of her ladyship. The judges cannot but 

 regret that previous experiment had not spared them the pain of 

 condemning a principle of construction which was so palpably 

 faulty as to render the failure of this costly implement inevitable. 

 Cake-crushers. — The competitors for the premium offered for 

 cake-crushers were not numerous. It was adjudged to Messrs. 

 Garrett and Son, of Saxmundham^ and well merited for their 



VOL. III. 2 A 



