at the Chester Meeting, 1858. 



323 



A considerable saving of power is thus effected, especially in strong and stony 

 soils, and the soil itself is left in a more open and desirable state. The shaft 

 can be elevated or lowered to suit any depth of cultivation required, and the 

 length of the cut or furrow slice can be varied by change wheels on the crank 

 and intermediate shafts. 



Direction of Motion. 



Section of Ricketts' Cultivating Shaft when at work. 



The field appointed for the trials was laid up in narrow lands, varying from 

 7 to 10 feet wide, with a difference of level of some 10 or 12 inches between 

 the ridge and the furrow, and thus afforded no fair test of the powers of this 

 rotary cultivator, as, owing to the great breadth of its cut (7 feet), in no part 

 could it find space sufficiently level to show its work to advantage. Enough 

 work, however, was done to establish its capabilities, to indicate several points 

 in its working details which might be readily improved, and to show that the 

 principle of rotary cultivation had taken a distinct position as a desirable and 

 valuable addition to the Mechanics of Agriculture. 



We think Mr. Ricketts deserves great commendation for the skill and inge- 

 nuity displayed in the design and arrangement of the rough trial-machine ex- 

 hibited. The working details may be thus given : — While in motion on 

 suitable ground the machine advances about 20 feet per minute, the shaft 

 making 75 revolutions, and the tines or cutters attached taking a slice 4^ inches 

 wide by 6 inches deep and 7 feet in breadth. At this rate 91i poles per hour, 

 or about 5f acres per day, would be performed. The working expenses per 

 day may be taken at 1^. 15s. 9f7. :* this, taking 4 acres as the average work 

 done per day, would give about 9s. per acre as the cost of cultivation. Owing 

 to the breaking of the chain driving the transverse shaft, the work was brought 

 to a close during the first day, and the machine withdrawn from further com- 

 petition. 



Two competitors now only remained for our attention, Messrs. Fowler and 

 Howards, both of whose machines and working arrangements are too well 

 known to need any description here. It would be right, however, to observe 



Engineer 



Two men, at 3s. 



Coals 



Oil, &c. 



Water-cart . . 



Interest 5 per cent., and wear and tear 

 15 per cent., on first cost, taking 20U as 

 the number of working days per year . . 



£1 15 9 



