FARM IMPLEMENTS. 159 



It may be said that there is no danger of a retrogade move- 

 ment ; yet is there no cause to fear that the progressive move- 

 ment will be too slow ? Farmers should urge the mechanics 

 forward by making known to them their pressing wants, and 

 then offering proper inducement to encourage inventive, patient 

 toil and thought. Inventors are generally poor, and need pecu- 

 niary aid. Manufacturers seek to make the most money possi- 

 ble out of inventions already made, often without regard to 

 the greatest utility. How, then, is the progressive spirit and 

 demand of the age to be met 'i Farmers are in some degree 

 isolated, and it may not be easy for them to make known their 

 wants as above indicated. Let the agricultural society be their 

 organ, and, with liberal and specific premiums for each branch 

 of mechanism, speak out in the ears of our inventors for the 

 things most needed. We say specific premiums — for instance, 

 the best mowing machine the first premium ; second best, the 

 second ; third best, the third ; and so on, with the several lead- 

 ing classes of machinery in use. We say liberal premiums. 

 Is not the best plough equal in agriculture to the best bull ? Is 

 not the best mowing-machine equal to the best horse, or the 

 greatest speed of a (it may be an inferior) horse ? Let the 

 premiums be equal. 



We ask an equality with other classes wdiich draw money. 

 We believe the mechanical part of agriculture has been greatly 

 overlooked, if not undervalued, by our agricultural society. 



We ask also, in behalf of the mechanic, that a fair and im- 

 partial trial of his inventions be held, so far as possible, on the 

 fair grounds, on the days of the annual fair. The advantages 

 of such an arrangement are obvious. The Committee would 

 be able to judge of the merits claimed by different exhibitors 

 of the several machines which they represent ; so would the 

 public, who come to see all that is useful, novel and good. 

 What better place than some of the unoccupied acres of the 

 fair ground ? Take, for instance, the plough, one of the oldest 

 farming implements made by human hands ; a very great 

 variety of new and useful ones have sprung up, each claim- 

 ing special merit. 



But how shall this be determined, so that no imposition shall 

 be practised by the sharp manufacturer upon the honest, hard- 

 working consumer ? Let the society furnish the means for a 



