Report on the Exhibition and Trial of Implements, ^r, 565 



Ktrcn2;th ami quality of the implements on the stubborn claj's of Essex, pro- 

 verbial for tlicir tenacity at one time, and hard baking qualities when exposed 

 to the summer heats. Such was the case with the land where the trials took 

 place. It was baked to a brick-like hardness ; so much so that in ordinary 

 operations the farmer would wait a more convenient season, and imtil rains 

 had so softened the clods as to make them permeable to the action of the 

 liarrow, and the other implements that would follow. 



Tlie recent change in the mode of awarding the Society's ])rizes, which had 

 occupied the attention of the Council for some time, gave a discretion to the 

 Judges that required great care, so that the comparative merit of the respective 

 implements miglit be arrived at. Tliis, it may be hoiked, has been done in 

 some degree. The Judges, being fully aware of the importance of their 

 decisions to the public, as well as to the exhibitors, have endeavoured to 

 the best of their judgment to award to each imiilement on trial its due allow- 

 ance of merit, as well as to point out such imiirovemcnts in the working 

 details as will, if carried out, be of advantage to liotb buyers and sellers. In 

 making the awards, the Jirdges have been careful to observe the instructions 

 given them, " of taking into consideration the selling price of the implements," 

 being fully aware that complication adds to expencc, while simplicity gives 

 cheapness and efl'ect in the held. 



The first implements submitted for trial were the light-land harrows, in- 

 tended for covering or preparing the land for seed-corn, or used in fallowing 

 light land lor roots, &c. These were really useful pair-horse harrows ; and 

 we subjoin below our awards, as well as some extracts from our note-book, 

 which we hope will be received in good faith, and lead to further improvements. 



Light-land Harrows. 



Prizes and gj^^j ^^^ 

 Award;' 



Kxliibitur's 

 Nimie. 



Remarks. 



£. s. (/. 

 3 



2 



2 



Very 

 liiplily 

 com- 

 mended. 



132 



103 



22 



48 



124 



Messrs. For their moderate price, their peculiar zig- 

 Howard. zag form, l)eing jointed so as to suit round 



stetches. or flat lands ; a simple contrivance 

 of hoop-iron under the nut kept it in place. 

 The harrows covered their ground well, cut 

 deeply, and might be worked either way. 



W.Williams.' For similar form and very good workmanship ; 

 teeth Avell arranged ; moderate price, and 

 worked well ; similar to Howard's, but had 

 no joint. 



E. H. lientall. Very strong ; made of double angle iron ; the 

 nut holding the teeth locked on by a rivet ; 

 worked well with single hooks only ; double 

 hooks generally to be preferred. 



Messrs. Hill These harrows were made with east metal 

 and Smith. teeth, fastened by a key in a wrought iron 

 socket, which forms the rivet holding toge- 

 ther the frame; the teeth drilled in back 

 and front, so as to wear sharp. Owing to an 

 accidental circumstance, the larger set of 

 harrows were not tried on heavy land, which 

 would have severely tested thecast metal teeth, 

 and i)rovt'd whether tliey would, or not, give 

 way before the brick-like cloils in the field. 

 This appears to be the (pu'Stion. Production 

 is cheapened by introducing cast metal into 

 liarrow-teeth, and time will prove tiieir use- 

 fulness or otherwise. Under these circum- 

 stances the judges felt it their duty to give 

 tiieir highest eonunendation. 



