at the Norwich Meeting, 1849. 



549 



requisite in an agricultural implement is efficiency, the second 

 simplicity, and this last is scarcely less important than the first, 

 inasmuch as simplicity is the very quality which ensures its being 

 efficient in the hands of ordinary unskilled labourers, and at the 

 same time affords the best guarantee for its being rarely out of 

 order, and being easy to repair when an accident does happen. 

 Let the two prize-machines (which may be considered identical 

 in principle) be compared with Clayton's in the two points above 

 mentioned. With respect to efficiency, all three make very good 

 tiles, and though the prize-machines are more rapid in their per- 

 formance, Clayton's is sufficiently expeditious for most tile-yards, 

 and the additional number, though a point in favour of the 

 former, is not one of a decisive character. Under the head of 

 simplicity, however, the case is very different. If a labourer of 

 the most ordinary capacity were once shown how to open and fill 

 Whitehead's clay-box and which way to turn the handle, it is 

 hardly conceivable that he could ever after make a mistake, and 

 the strength and simplicity of construction of the whole machine 

 are such as almost to defy wear and tear. Clayton's machine, 

 however, has several additional movements, and is therefore of 

 necessity more complicated, and when the men who work it have 

 become thoroughly acquainted with its action, there must always 

 be a good deal of nicety and exactness required in stopping at 

 the moment that a length of pipes is complete, and in holding 

 the horse in the right position for receiving the tiles. This only 

 applies to the vertical mode of delivery ; but if the horizontal plan 

 be practised, then the height to which the clay must be handed, 

 and the additional labour required in filling small cylinders instead 

 of a large clay-box, besides the extra cost of the machine, will 

 cause an unfavourable comparison to be drawn between it and 

 the prize-implements of Messrs Whitehead and Scragg. 



The machine invented by Mr. Ainslie made pipes of better 

 quality than any other in the yard. This excellence of manu- 

 facture is attained by the forcible compression of the clay between 

 iron rollers, which gives it a more uniform density, and effec- 

 tually gets rid of the air-bubbles which more or less blister the 

 tiles made by all other machines. Its high price and the slowness 

 of its action must prevent its coming into common use unless much 

 improved, but it would be valuable to any one who was anxious 

 to make a limited number of tiles of very superior quality, re- 

 gardless of expense. — : 



Steam-engines (Judges' Report). — " In making our report of the 

 trial of steam-engines at the country meeting of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society held at Norwich, July, 1849, we would remark 

 that the arrangements made by the Society were very judicious, 

 and gave every facility for the application of the iorce-resister, 



vol. x. 2 o 



