and Miscellaneous Implements at Bristol. 117 
time occupied in thatching. One great feature of merit in this 
invention is that a certain amount of ventilation is provided for 
by the depth of the rafters and space beneath the ridge. I am not 
sure that it would answer so well for hay as for corn, since un- 
equal sinking of the former might interfere with the outline of 
the covering, but the iron rods would form a considerable sup- 
port. In felt, the price named, and at which I presume the 
exhibitors are willing to furnish the material, is Is. \0d. a square 
yard ; with galvanised iron, 2>s. Sd. ; and with plain sheet iron, 
2s. 2d. a yard, A Silver Medal was awarded. 
Although, owing to the restrictions with regard to Silver 
Medals, the Judges were unable to make any other awards than 
the three described, many improvements in details deserve 
mention, of some of these I am enabled to present illustra- 
tions, without which, a report on machinery must necessarily 
be uninteresting and incomplete. In these days of competition 
and highly paid labour, every attempt to simplify machinery 
must be regarded as a boon to the agricultural interest, and 
deserves the fostering care of our great national Society. In 
this struggle for success much that is worthless naturally is put 
forward, and it is quite as much the business of the Society to 
repudiate what is radically bad as to encourage what is really 
deserving. 
In the Liverpool Report, the Turnip topper and tailer of 
Thomas Hunter, of Maybole, was described as it then appeared 
— not sufficiently novel to have a chance of a medal — but still 
valuable as aiming at economising labour in the important 
operation of storing the root crop. Very material improvements 
have been made since last year, and, but for the hard-and-fast 
line laid down by the Council as to novelty, this invention, had 
it made a successful trial, would in its present form have been 
worthy of an award. I cite this as an example of the unsatis- 
factory working of this rule. Last year the machine was not 
practical ; the driver had not only to drive his horse and 
steady the implement, but he had to raise or lower the saw 
frames, according as the roots varied in size ; failing this, a 
tall bulb was cut in two and a short one was not properly 
topped. It was impossible to give that attention required for 
such a delicate operation. The machine is made in two forms, 
according as it is required to deal with one or two rows at a 
time. In the latter case, the frame is mounted on wheels ; in the 
former (shown in the illustration, Fig. 23, p. 118) it slides on the 
ground ; the horse being so attached that whilst drawing from 
the side it does not cause undue side-draught. The great im- 
