and Miscellaneous Implements at Bristol. 1 13 
pretty hard, in order to show the capabilities of the machine for 
topping. It is quite certain that every time the machine is 
used on the same fence the work will become easier and the 
cutting more accurate. The efficiency of the machine to do the 
work for which it was designed being thus apparent, it remained 
to ascertain its economy. Mr. J. Hornsby stated that the 
machine is capable of cutting 5 miles of fences per day of 10 
hours. Suppose, for the sake of argument, that we reduce this 
to 4 miles. The lowest price at which the same could be 
trimmed by manual labour would be 4/., supposing the price 
paid was dd. per 22 yards run, which is quite a reasonable 
rate : — 
2 horses, man, and boy, say £1 0 0 
Wear and tear, &c., calculated at 20 per cent. 1 q |q q 
per annum = 10/., spread over 20 days = ( 
£1 10 0 
Thus, then, we have a cost of 1/. 10s. as against 4Z., supposing 
that such a machine could be employed twenty days in a year. 
Something might be added for interest of money ; but, making 
every allowance, it is quite clear that, given a certain amount of 
work, the saving in money would be quite one-half, whilst the 
saving in labour and time would be most important. It would 
require 20 men to cut 4 miles of fence in a day. I was told, on 
reliable authority, that a Lincolnshire farmer occupying 1000 
acres of land, with fields ranging from 20 to 30 acres, has cut all 
his fences in three days. Such a machine would soon pay for 
itself, if hired out. Thus, looked at from every point, the 
hedge-cutting and trimming machine is a practical invention, 
worthy of the Silver Medal which was awarded. Some doubt 
has been expressed whether the shears can be kept sufficiently 
sharp to take off the light twigs which, in a well-shaped hedge, 
constitute the annual crop. It requires a rapid blow with a slasher 
to make a clean cut, and it is quite possible that very light wood 
would not offer sufficient resistance to allow of the shears catching 
hold. The only remedy for this difficulty, if it exists, would be 
to leave the hedge uncut for a year, or else to cut rather closer 
than usual. 
In one important respect there is a considerable practical ad- 
vantage in using this machine instead of manual labour, viz., that 
the cuttings, instead of being scattered in all directions, drop 
down close to the hedge, and can be raked up at half the labour. 
Church's Circular Steam Valve. — Messrs. J. Fowler and Co., of Leeds, ex- 
hibited Church's Patent Slide Valve, a novelty, as applied to locomotive and 
agricultural traction en^jines, which, as containing valuable economical features, 
was considered worthy of a Silver Medal. 
VOL. XV. — S. S. I 
