122 Re-inforced Concrete for Farm and Estate Purposes. 



make a much better jol) of separating out the rubbish than 

 the more usual text-book plan of alternate barro wings and 

 rollings. 



In connection with conchy land one very modern implement 

 will be found of great use, and that is the side rake. These 

 are very much better than the ordinary horse rakes with 

 lifting tines, for collecting couch, as they sweep it into rows 

 without picking up the small clods. There are many improved 

 forms of chain harrows with tines which, besides being more 

 effective for grass harrowing than the old types, are also very 

 useful for collecting couch. But personally I have found 

 nothing better for this purpose than a light plain chain harrow, 

 which rolls the couch up into wads easily picked up by the 

 rake. 



Drills may be classed also as tillage implements. The 

 forthcoming trials by the R.A.S.E. will be awaited with great 

 interest. What is wanted is an effective form of hind steerage 

 to get as good results as the ordinary fore-carriage steerage and 

 save a man. The modern forms of cutting coulters are very 

 effective in saving draught, but it is doubtful whether the old 

 Suffolk pressing coulter, giving a firm bed for the seed, is not 

 still the most favourable to germination. 



The ingenuity of inventors has perhaps more scope in pro- 

 ducing agriciiltural implements for dealing with the results of 

 tillage, harvest machinery, &c., rather than in the actual tillage 

 operations, so that, at any rate at the present day, we can still 

 say, with Mr. Greening, of the " Clay Farm," that we are not 

 yet " ashamed of the plough." 



W. E. G. Atkinson. 



Sedb'scouib, 



Battle. 



AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE VALUE OF 



FERRO OR RE-INFORCED CONCRETE 



FOR FARM AND ESTATE PURPOSES. 



The question of economy in building construction is one that 

 becomes more pressing year by year. Apart from the increased 

 cost of labour, some of the essential materials, particularly 

 foreign timber, are undergoing a considerable appreciation in 

 value ; the adoption of Building Bye-Laws by Local Sanitary 

 Authorities in many places has brought about the introduction 

 of higher standards both of design and of construction than in 

 the past, whilst the improvement in the social condition of the 

 labouring classes has necessitated still further attention to these 

 points. The combined effect of these factors is that, so far as 



