at the Salisburij 3Ieeting, 1857. 447 



tiian could he done hy liorse-power. For ourselves, we were at once convinced 

 that no satisfactory decision could lie arrived at. The minor arrangements 

 were fair. The coal was weighed ; the time measured ; bxTt it was soon apparent 

 that all would be of little avail. Mr. Boydell and Mr. Fowler certainly set to 

 work in right good earnest and in a workmanlike manner. Mr. Boydell's 

 ploughs coiild not take sufficient depth, and his ploughmen were rmaccustomed 

 to the work, consequently it was somewhat irregular, but sufficient was shown 

 to convince us that Mr. Boydell's engine is one of no ordinary merit, and 

 capable of verj^ useful and extensive farm service. It drew Coleman's immense 

 scarifier with ease, taking a great breadth and depth of soil which it com- 

 pletely broke up. Mr. Fowler alone continued in work till his j)lot was done, 

 and his plough performed its work very creditably imder all the circumstances 

 of a hard soil and much obstructing company. The ploughing was effected 

 in truly husbaudlike manner, and at a depth not generally reached on such 

 soils. The Avork was fairly laid and worthy of comparison with that done 

 alongside it by one of Howard's ploughs in the hands of a first-rate plough- 

 man. Mr. "Williams, after considerable delay, proceeded ; his ploughs could 

 not be made to enter at the requisite depth ; in vain he and his friends rode 

 upon them and added weights ; they could not be kept in, and therefore 

 the work was not well done. The advantage which Mr. Williams possesses 

 in being able to plough into "lands " is good. Mr. Fowler's is a "one-way 

 plough." Mr. Boydeil ploughs in every way required. Mr. Collinson Hall, 

 having been seriously delayed by unavoidable and vexatious accidents, borne 

 with remarkable spirit and good temper, ploughed a few bouts to show his 

 capability, which is great, and the compact form and most ingenious adapta- 

 tion of his engine met our approval. We make these few observations chiefly 

 with the view of showing that this trial of steam-ploughing could not be a 

 decisive nor a satisfactory one owing to the circumstances pointed out. We 

 think that sufficient power and adaptation to accomplish steam-ploughing in 

 an efficient and economical manner has been shown us ; and that a proper time 

 and suitable soil are only needed to prove it. We would, therefore, respect- 

 fully suggest that some time should be appointed, in the months of March 

 or April next, and some rather strong loam selected for the trial. 



William Owex. 



John Clarke. 



MiSCELLAKEOTJS ARTICLES. 



Neither of the undersigned had before been appointed to adjudicate in the 

 Miscellaneous department. It is no easy task to roam through those 150 stands 

 and discover every useful novelty and every deserving improvement. As it 

 was we inspected upwards of 200 miscellaneous articles, and yet we fear there 

 were some excellent inventions which may have escaped our notice. To the best 

 of our limited knowledge, which, we would observe, has its centre in arable 

 agriculture, we selected a quantity of the most useful and novel articles, and 

 awarded to them the distinctions of medals, high and ordinary commendations. 

 To be anything like an able judge of this department one ought to possess the 

 deep and varied knowledge of King f^olomon. Therfe were machines of all 

 sorts and sizes ; from the ponderous proportions of a 6-horse power bonc-mill 

 to the tiny dimensions of a sausage-maker ; and from the purely agricultural 

 potato digger to the essentially domestic washing-machine and mangle. We 

 were much aided in making our awards by the alile assistance of the Society's 

 engineers, which was readily and courteously rendered. We also eagerly 

 received some useful hints from a lady whose thorough knowledge of domestic 

 economy constituted her a much abler judge of certain in-door articles than 

 we were. It would be impossible to notice even in the most casual way the 



