614 Report on the Trials of Combined Stackiny-Machines 
long-link chains, driven by octagonal wheels, were worked at a 
much sharper angle, averaging about 45 degrees ; two of these 
machines, it will be noted, obtained the maximum points 
(column 27) for cleanness of delivery. The machine which was 
worked at the sharpest incline was No. 5014* (S. Lewin) ; the 
angle in this case was about 53 degrees, but the delivery, though 
fair, was not perfect. We may thus learn from column 5 that 
a comparatively short trough, worked at an angle of 45 to 50 
degrees, will be better, as well as cheaper, than a much longer 
trough, that will only work well at a lower inclination. 
The depth of the trough, as recorded in column 6, indicates 
the protection afforded against wind. This is a point of con- 
siderable importance ; for without sufficient protection neither 
hay nor straw can be properly elevated in windy weather. The, 
weather was extremely favourable throughout the trials, which 
were necessarily conducted in the open air ; the heavy clouds 
that often threatened only made it a matter of congratulation 
that the trials were not once interrupted by rain ; had the heavy 
storm that fell on Saturday afternoon very shortly after they 
had been concluded occurred at any other time of the week, it 
would have stopped the work for the time, and probably have so 
changed the condition of the hay and straw that the comparison 
of results from each machine would have been more complicated 
than it was. 
The absence of wind throughout the trials was at first regretted, 
as the Judges had little practical test to guide them in the points 
of merit awarded in column 28. On the other hand, short trials in 
gusty weather might have been rather misleading than otherwise, 
unless we had been able to test the force of the wind each time. 
There was, however, sufficient wind to show us that in troughs 
of the same depth straw was more apt to be blown away by the 
wind from a quick-travelling ladder with short teeth than from 
one with longer teeth moving more steadily. Protection from 
wind is secured in some machines by making the trough itself 
deep, and in others by adding movable wing-boards to a com- 
paratively shallow trough. The Judges considered the latter 
arrangement the better. 
If the fixed sides of the trough are deep, it will not fold up 
into a small space. In still weather a shallow trough may be 
used without wings, and generally a single board on the wind- 
ward side will be sufficient. It is of importance that the trough 
should be light ; its weight is unnecessarily increased by making 
it permanryttly deep enough for use in a strong wind. 
In column 7 it will be seen that the crossbars or rakes of the 
ladder were set at distances varying from 1 foot lOi- inches to 
5 feet 8 inches apart ; the latter distance is much too great ; it 
