Report on the Trials of Implements at Bedford. 661 



a firm bottom, and thus preventing' it being raised by frost. It 

 is also considered a preventive against wire-worm. 



Three implements were entered on the list, but only one of 

 them appeared for trial ; and as the Judges had had a previous 

 opportunity for testing it, a further trial was considered un- 

 necessary, and the prize was awarded to it. 



No. 4989. Gower and Son, Market Draytcm. — This impleraent is con- 

 structed to follow two ploughs. One heavy disc-roller moves along each 

 furrow, compressing the bottom of it. The seed is delivered from a box, 

 attached to the frame, into a seed-pipe by a moveable slide delivery. These 

 slides are worked by an adjustable eccentric, which gears with the main 

 driving-wheel, by a bevel gearing. Mioiature double mould-board j)loughs, 

 attached to a lever frame, follow up, and cover in the seed. 



Prize of 5Z. to Gower and Son (4989), of Market Drayton. 



Class XII. Potato Drills. — The want of some implement to 

 facilitate the operation of potato planting has been much felt of late 

 years by large growers of potatoes, who have found it difficult to 

 obtain a sufficient number of hands ; therefore, apart from the 

 comparative cost of the operation as performed by hand or by 

 machine, these implements are calculated to make a farmer less 

 dependent upon his work-people, and to ensure his potatoes being 

 planted at the proper time ; it cannot, however, be expected that 

 the sets will be deposited so regularly by a machine as by careful 

 hands, and in this respect the implements tried were inefficient, 

 frequently depositing two potatoes in place of one. 



The trial took place in a field, the soil of which had crumbled 

 ■down, owing to the rain on the previous evening, and the 

 severe baking during the previous fortnight, and now pre- 

 sented a very good mould. Of six drills entered, three were 

 tried ; one bushel of potatoes of various sizes having been 

 placed in the hopper of each. The distance of run was 200 

 yards ; during the first 100 yards of which, the potatoes were 

 ■dropped at 9 inches apart, and during the latter 100 yards at 

 12 inches apart. 



Xo. 2799. James Coultas, of Grantham. — This implement was awarded a 

 silver medal in the Miscellaneous class at Hull,last year, and was again presented 

 for trial, with some improvements. The potatoes are placed in a hopper pro- 

 vided with a slide, which is regulated to suit the size of the seed, so that the 

 tubers are let out gradually on to a sparred inclined plane, from the lower end 

 of which they are raised by wooden cups attached to an endless chain, and, 

 passing over a pulley, they are carried down a spout, and thus deposited 

 in the furrow. Double mould-board ploughs attached to a lever, in a similar 

 manner to a corn-drill lever, open the furrows, and two small side scoops 

 push the soil on to the tubers when deposited. The artificial manure is 

 distributed from a hopper by a narrow Chambers's manure barrel into a 

 separate spout, which deposits the manure in the furrows. 



The quantity of potatoes planted is regulated by change speed-wheels. The 



