at the Salisbury Meeting, 1857. 



441 



J. Jephson Eowley. 

 Fielder King. 



Mowing-Machines. 



Our department as judges included Mowing-machines, Hayinaking-ma- 

 chines, Horse-rakes, &c., besides the reaping-machines and steam-ploughs in 

 conjunction with all our colleagues. 



Our first duty commenced with mowing the clover and grass. We had in 

 reality only two competitors, as the other two machines in competition in the 

 clover-field declined tlie very severe work of the meadow-grass provided for 

 them or sustained a very imperfect trial therein. In the clover-field all the 

 machines made tolerable work. Lord Kinnairu's machine failed to cut so 

 close to the ground as we required, and owing to loose stones (which also 

 impeded the other machines) and other causes, the work was not as a whole 

 satisfactorily performed ; occasionally it did well. Mazier's machine had 

 great difficultj^ in cutting closely down ; it is a machine of simple construc- 

 tion, but, in studying simplicity the more important consideration of steadi- 

 ness in work has been in a degree overlooked. Clayton's American Eagle 

 Machine performed its work very satisfactorily, cutting low and clean without 

 at all distressing the horses by its required pace or draught ; both were moderate, 

 although it took a large average breadth. The mode of communicating 

 motion to the cutters is novel ; it is from the circumference of the main 



