376 General Report on the Exhibition of Implements 



A mowing-machine, with a 4 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in. knife, will do 

 plenty of work in a day if well driven and horsed ; the question 

 is, which machine will do the best work? It is satisfactory to 

 be able to state that the work of all the mowers was infinitely 

 superior to manual work, and effected, as we shall see by the 

 following calculation, at a considerable saving per acre : — 



Cost of machine 207. : — 



Interest according to acreage to be mown, from 



Horse-labour ,, 



Oil „ 



Manual laboiu- „ 



2 t(3 3 



Report of the Judges on Drills, Manure-distributors, fforse-Jwes, Ilay- 

 mahng Machines, and Horse-rakes. 



When selecting for trial the various Implements exhibited at Pl^-mouth, vre 

 were agreeably surprised at their numbers. The workmanship of most of them 

 was of a very superior description, and the work in the fields during the trials 

 generally very good. 



The principal novelty that came under our notice was the application of 

 springs to the Drill and Horse-hoe levers, patented by Mr. Sainty, and nianu- 

 I'actured by Messrs. Garrett and Sons, which obviates the necessity of weight.s, 

 and more efficiently eflects the object of keeping the coulters to their work. 

 Tlie raising and lowering the levers is also accomplished more simply by a 

 hand-bar, which also acts as a press-bar, thus dispensing entirely with weights, 

 chains, ordinary press-bar, rachet-gear, and hind-roller, to carry the levers. 

 The action of the spring was considered by us a very great improvement on 

 the ordinary method, as upon the coulter coming in contact with a stone, &c., 

 the spring would chock the tendency to jump, and cause it to resume its proper 

 place more quickly. The draught of the Implement was, in our opinion 

 reduced very considerabl}' bj' this novel arrangement — say from one-fourth to 

 one-third — which is a verj- important feature. 



We had several small Hay-making Machines, which we believe will prove 

 very useful and efficient Implements, and at about two-thirds of former 

 prices. 



We commenced with the trials of Drills for general piirposes, of which we 

 had nine — a very good class : but while we praise these Drills and their perform- 

 ance, we do not ajiprove of the combination which is found necessary, as their 

 cost is about equal to that of both a corn-drill and a manure-distributor, and 

 they are not nearly so convenient, or light and portable. We think that for 

 the future the prize in this class might very properly be dispensed with. 



Of ordinary Corn-Drills we tried fourteen, and most of them were good and 

 efficient implements. 



Of Corn-Drills for small occupations we tried fourteen. This was also 

 a very good class. 



Of Drills for hillside delivery we only tried two (which were very good), 

 but nearly all the corn and small occupation drills were adapted for drilling 

 up and down hill, the seed being regulated by the use of a small wheel in 

 the barrel in ascending, and a larger one in descending. 



Of Drills for Turnips and other Boots on the flat we tried fifteen implements. 

 This was a very good class. 



