72 



Report upon the Agricultural Features 



cotton and maize stalks, reeds, tiben, &c., as well as coal or 

 wood. 



The following account of this important invention appeared 

 in ' The Engineer ' of May 23rd, 1873. The figures (24 and 25) 

 are reductions of two of those which illustrated that account : — 



" It occurred to the late Mr. Schcraiotb, a Russian engineer, that if the 

 straw was forced into the fire-box of the engine by means of rollers, so that it 

 could enter in the form of a fan, it would cause each straw to come under the. 

 action of the flame, and the combustion would be perfect. He confided his 

 invention to Messrs. Eansomes, Sims, and Head, who have devoted much time 



Fig. 24.- — Longitudinal Section of the Fire-box in Messrs. Head and 

 Scherniotli s Straio-hurning Forfable Engine. 



and attention to bringing his somewhat crude ideas to a practical result. 

 During the eai'ly experiments it was found that the silicious particles of the 



