324 Report on the Exhibition and Trial of Implements 



that Mr. Fowlei"'s have been considerably simplified and improved since the 

 last annual meeting of the Society, and that a very important diminution has 

 been effected both in the traction power required and in the wear and tear aris- 

 ing from friction. The engine, too, and the windlass and anchor pulley are 

 now self-moving, and, after being once fixed, travel through the field, however 

 large, without any assistance whatever. 



In testing the comparative merits of these two machines, we thought it best 

 to direct our attention to — 



1st. The cost of working per day. 



2ndly. The quantity and description of work done. 



3rdly. The practical or agricultural value of that work. 



The trials were commenced in the field (light land) already described, and 

 were continued the following days in a field on Blacon farm, where the soil was 

 a tenacious loam in a very dry and indurated condition, and matted together 

 on the surface by a strong growth of thistles and grasses. 



An experimental trial with a Wilkie plough (swing) gave a dynamometrical 

 result of 51 stones, or 6| cwt., as the traction power required to turn a 6 X 9 

 furrow, thus showing it to be fully equal to a strong three-horse soil. The 

 trials comprised ploughing on the light land, and ploughing and trenching with 

 Cotgreave's ploughs on the strong land by Fowler's machine ; while Howards 

 exhibited Smith's system of cultivation by means of his spud-tined cultivator^ 

 and his subsoiling and trenching plough. 



The daily working expenses of Fowler's machine we estimate as follows : — 



£. s. d. 



Engineer 5 



Plough and anchor men 6 



Two boys 2 



Water-carting 05 



Coals, lOcwt 10 



Oil, &c 10 



Eemoval 040 



Interest at 5 per cent, and wear and tear at 

 15 per cent, on first cost (650Z.), assuming 

 200 as the number of working days iu the 



year 13 0* 



£2 6 



On the light land the work was performed, Including stoppages, at the nte 

 of 7f acres per day of 10 hours. The actual rate of travelling, while the 

 ploughs were in full swing, was 3'83 ft. per second, which gives about 1"031 

 acres per hour, the soil moved (four ploughs) being 3 feet 4 inches wide by 

 6 inches deep. 



On the heavy land 4 acres 3 roods 12 poles were ploughed in 9 hours 39 

 minutes, equal to 5 acres per day of 10 hours, the same sized furrows being 

 taken. With Cotgreave's trenching plough the rate of work was, of course, 

 greatly diminished. The furrow was 12 to 14 inches deep, while the width 

 (two ploughs used) was 20 inches. About the same quantity of soil was 



* It is right to mention that the cost of Fowler's apparatus complete, is 730Z., 

 instead of 650/., the price officially furnished to the Judges. This would, of 

 course, occasion a small increase in the estimate of daily working expenses. 



removed 



