i 



The Ti'ials of Potato Diggers and Potato Sorters. 245 



No. 1. BLackstbne & Co.. Stamford. 



„ 4. Alexr. Jack & Sons, Maybole, Ayrshire. 



„ 6. Martin's Cultivator Co., Stamford. 



,, 7. „ 



„ 8. Powell Bros. &. Whitaker, Wrexham. 



,. !"• 



,, 18 Ransomes, Sims <k Jefferies, Ipswich. 



It will be noticed that all the machines popularly called 

 " Spinners " were at once thrown out ; they have a revolving 

 wheel behind the share, with forks rigidly fixed, which strike 

 the row and throw the potatoes out. On this land they caused 

 much damage by bruising, and had to give place to one or 

 other of the machines with feathering action. 



This movement resembles the way in which the paddles 

 of a steamer enter and leave the water vertically, thus avoiding 

 a bang on taking the water and a splash on leaving it. 



Since the first application of this principle to potato raisers, 

 many most clever mo%'ements of one sort or another have 

 been devised, almost all showing to great advantage over the 

 old spinner. 



Like the paddles, as stated above, their tines enter the soil 

 more or less vertically, leaving it in a somewhat similar 

 manner, and if the speed be correct, the soil and tubers are 

 quietly thrown out and deposited (by the best machines) in a 

 fairly narrow row, and thus in a good position for gathering. 



A disc haulm or weed cutter, usually called a "" skief ," and 

 other devices were fixed on some machines, but as there were 

 few tops and weeds their action or otherwise did not show to 

 any great extent. 



The seven machines were all run afresh on the Wednesday 

 morning, and their working most critically noted by the Judges, 

 who weie quite unanimous in their opinion. 



The final decision was withheld until the results of the 

 dynamometer trials, and the weights of the several machines 

 were brought in by Mr. Courtney, the Society's Engineer. 



The first prize was awarded to Martin's Cultivator Co., Ltd., 

 Stamford, for machine No. G, and the second prize to Black- 

 stone & Co., Ltd., Stamford, for machine No. 1. 



Messrs. Martin's first prize machine is well and substantially 

 constructed, although only weighing G cwt. 2 qrs. 14 lb., such 

 lightness combined with strength being due to the free use of 

 wrought steel and malleable iron. The draught, principally 

 owing to the above reasons, was low, but the silent, steady 

 working was helped by the five to one bevel wheels running 

 entirely enclosed in a bath of oil ; the bearings, with ample 

 wearing surface, being well capped to prevent the entry of 

 grit. 



