Fanning of East LotJiian. 



291 



all on Hussey's principle. The number introduced tliat year was 

 very considerable. They proved all but complete failures. As 

 most of the farmers who were induced to order them had stipu- 

 lated, for an efficient reaping machine, most of those sent were 

 thrown on the hands of the makers. This season, 1853, several 

 of Bell's reaper were obtained, manufactured by Crosskill. 

 These proved upon the whole not very successful. The diffi- 

 culties connected with the adjusting of the machine, still more 

 the defective workmanship of the majority of them, have raised 

 a feeling which will operate for a time against their general 

 introduction. An improved machine, embodying the suggestion 

 of the judges at Pusey, with some other alterations, will pro- 

 bably be brought out in the county. 



The threshing machine has vrholly superseded the flail, the 

 smallest holding having some kind of threshing machine. The 

 original form, as invented by Meikle, is still most esteemed. 

 The peg-drum was introduced some years ago with great promise, 

 but has proved all but a failure. The bolting-drum has also 

 .been adopted by one or two farmers, but has not equalled expec- 

 tation. Both forms partially bruise and break the grain. All 

 the machines in this county separate the straw and chaff from 

 the corn. Some machines have two or more fanners attached, 

 which prepare the grain, for market. On most farms, however, 

 the grain, after leaving the mill fanners, is put through hand- 

 fanners preparatory to measuring. All the threshing machines 

 are fixed as well as the motive powers. The most approved 

 motive power is steam, which is destined at no remote period to 

 supersede almost wholly horse and even water power. With 

 new leases, steam-engines are generally erected. Water, except 

 under peculiar circumstances, can seldom be economically ap- 

 plied, and is less under control than steam. The number of 

 steam threshing mills already nearly equals the number of horse 

 and water mills combined, while the actual horse-power is 

 considerably greater. Horse-mills are now confined to small 

 holdings, and water-mills seldom or never constructed. At the 

 beginning of the present century, windmills, where water could 

 not be applied, were much in favour. The original cost of con- 

 struction is a serious bar to their adoption ; besides other more 

 serious objections. They have been wholly superseded in the 

 county by steam-engines : the only remaining one, oh the farm 

 of Oxwellmains, has been this last summer displaced by a 

 steam-engine. Since the 20th May six new engines have been 

 erected ; three horse-mills, two old steam-engines, with the above 

 windmill, being superseded. 



As we have a very decided opinion as to the superiority of the 

 fixed over the movable engine for the purposes of the farm, we 



VOL. xiv. x 



