and Miscellaneous Implements at Hull. 
615 
took the straw and hay up in large lumps exposed to the wind, 
instead of delivering it in an even stream. Each rake is fur- 
.nished with teeth varying in number from two to four, and in 
length from 2 to 1\ inches. All the four machines with very 
short teeth were driven at a great speed, and although placed at 
a low angle the hay frequently rolled back during its ascent ; 
this would have been very objectionable in elevating loose barley 
or oats. All grain thus knocked out would fall on one spot, and 
be apt to heat in the rick. This tendency to roll back may, 
however, as we have already said, be partly due to the shape of 
the hopper, and not solely to the shortness of the teeth. The 
best work was done by the longest teeth, and the arrangement we 
like best was found in the two machines made by Messrs. Tasker 
and Sons, where the rakes were only 1 foot lOJ inches apart, each 
one carrying two long teeth, arranged like harrow teeth, so that the 
teeth in one rake follow in the spaces left by the teeth of its 
predecessor. 
In column 8 it may be noted that the round are much better 
than the square-shaped hoppers ; the former offer great facility for 
taking straw from a threshing-machine at any angle, and when 
made of wooden staves with iron hoops they combine great 
strength with simplicity and neatness. It may be noticed that 
two of the square hoppers are furnished with movable backs, 
the intention being that as the trough is raised the back board 
should be adjusted to preserve the same angle with the trough 
as before. This adjustment makes a fair show on paper, and an 
intending purchaser may suppose it will increase the efficiency 
-of the machine, but we do not find it of any practical value. A 
fixed hopper of proper shape holds the straw equally well with 
the trough in any position. 
Column 9 gives the height of the hopper, measured by dropping 
a line from its top edge to the ground ; a second line dropped 
from the spindle of the top drum when set for its highest work 
gave the second line of figures in this column. It is desir- 
able that the back of the hopper should not be much more than 
5 feet from the 'ground ; this is a common height for the side 
of a waggon ; every additional 6 inches will therefore add to the 
work of the man in pitching off the last part of the load. In 
the two machines that stand first on the list the hoppers were 
removed previously to the trials, the straw, hay, and sheaves 
being simply thrown upon the bottom of the ladder ; in these 
cases the height of the bottom of the ladder is therefore substi- 
tuted for the height of the hopper. In column 23 the points of 
merit for Height of Delivery are recorded, but it will be seen 
that only fifty points are fixed as a maximum. The Judges were 
•for a time doubtful whether it would be advisable to make any 
