at tlie Lewes Meeting^ 1852. 



311 



that of Thrashing-machines ; and as the writer has thought it ne- 

 cessary in previous reports to point out what seemed to him 

 serious defects in those exhibited even bv the best makers, it 

 would be unjust to them if he were not equally ready to remark 

 upon the great improvement which has been made in the last two 

 years. The tabular statements furnished by the judges give the 

 details of their performances ; it will therefore be sufficient to 

 state here that, until this year, the thrashing-machines exhibited 

 have never come up to the writer's ideas of what a thrashing- 

 machine ought to be, but that those exhibited at this meeting 

 by two or three of the leading makers were, in his opinion, good, 

 sterling implements, which might be safely purchased. A de- 

 cided step in advance has been made by Messrs. Clayton in the 

 machine which was recommended by the judges and stewards 

 for the Society's gold medal. It not only did its work well, as 

 shown by the record of the trials, but is calculated to meet one 

 of the most pressing wants of the present day by effecting an 

 important saving of manual labour. 



In the drill department the great rival makers have entered 

 upon a new line of competition, which cannot fail to benefit 

 their customers, and which it may be pretty safely predicted will 

 ultimately be equally beneficial to themselves. ^Messrs. Garrett 

 and Hornsby are both turning their attention to cheap drills. 

 Four years ago the writer's remarks in favour of reduction in 

 price, as leading to an extension of demand which such excellent 

 machines well merited, were met by the assertion that it was , 

 impossiUe to reduce the cost without deteriorating their c|uality.„ . 

 The general progress, however, which has been remarked on 

 already, has worked wonders here as elsewhere. ^lessrs. 

 Hornsby's great drill, which has long been coveted in vain by 

 farmers of moderate means, with its vulcanized india-rubber 

 tubes, its steerage moving like clockwork with rack and pinion, 

 and its various other improvements, is now reduced in price by^ 

 the very material amount of 15/. 55., and Messrs. Garrett,, 

 nowise behindhand, are earning fresh laurels with their small ^ 

 occupation"' drills. Their cheap corn-drill has been before ■ 

 the public for the last two years, and they have followed it up 

 by the introduction of a cheap turnip-drill, either for ridge or 

 flat work, which, at a trifling additional cost, can be made to 

 act as a horse-hoe. This last addition is an important one ; and 

 when next Mr. Garrett wishes to make a " decided hit," he 

 cannot do better than adapt his small corn-drill also for hoeing 

 its own work. The two drills would then form a complete 

 outfit for drill husbandry at such a price as to bring them within 

 the reach of farmers of small capital. This has long been a 

 desideratum; and when a maker like Mr. Garrett, having an 



VOL. XIII. Y 



