244 The Trials of Potato Diggers and Potato Sorters. 



Powell Bros. & Whitaker, Cambrian Iron Works, Wrexham. 



8. — Vertical Fork Potato Itaiser with driver's seat, six forks, fitted with 

 hardwood handles, 15^. 10^. Extras, if required : Disc weed cutter, 11. Net 

 screen, 15s. 



9. — Side Lever Fork Wheel Potato Raiser, with 12 revolving forks complete, 

 with cratch wheel or net screen, lil. 10s. Kxtra disc weed cutter, \l. 



10. — Side Lever Vertical Fork Potato Raiser, fitted witli six digging forks 

 and vertical link motion, 151. Extra disc weed cutter, II. Net screen, 155. 



Ransomes, Sims & Jefferibs, Ltd., Orwell Works, Ipswich. 



11. — Ransomes' Rotary Potato Digger', with fixed tines and net guard, 

 14/. lo.s. Disc coulter extra, 15.y. 



12. — Ransomes' new Potato Digger, No. 12, 16Z. 10.?. 



13. — Ransomes' new Potato Digger, No. 14 (Phillips' Patent), 17/. 10.«. 



David Wilson, East Linton, Prestonkirk. 



14. — Potato Raiser, lifts the whole crop and leaves the tubers on the top of 

 the drill where grown and will not damage the tubers, 201. 



Messrs. Dennis & Sons, ojf Kirton, placed at the disposal 

 of the Society a field of Evergoods, close to Littleworth Station, 

 twelve miles from Peterborough and six from Spalding, on 

 the Great Northern Railway, and thither, on Tuesday, Sep- 

 tember 26, a large concourse of interested visitors wended 

 their way, some of them as early as 9 o'clock, to witness 

 the trials. 



At the Leicester Meeting in 1896, where a similar competition 

 took place, the soil was full of stones, many of which so 

 resembled potatoes, that a machine exhibited there for 

 " gathering and sorting " could not distinguish one from the 

 other. The land at Littleworth was per contra devoid of 

 stones, being in the Fen countr}^ with the venerable pile of 

 Croyland Abbey conspicuously looming in the distance. 



The Society had arranged fourteen equal plots, with a few 

 rows taken out between each, lots being drawn as to the 

 position of each machine. 



To give the Judges a chance to examine the working of 

 the machines thoroughly, only two competitors were allowed 

 out together, and copious notes were taken of the results, such 

 as damage by the share, or by the revolving tines, the distance 

 the tubers were thrown, the mode in which they were placed 

 for facility of gathering, the manner the tops were cleared, and 

 many other items. 



The Engineer's assistant superintended the forking over of 

 a measured piece in each plot, to form an opinion as to the 

 number of potatoes left or covered up. 



As a result of severe trials and a hard day's work, six 

 machines were eliminated, the Stewards being asked to arrange 

 for the following seven machines to compete again the next 

 mornins: : — 



