The Development of Agricultural Machinery. 261 
The lightning-flash of 1843 was followed by a growl of 
angry thunder in 1844. The public were restrained, for the 
first time, at Southampton, from entering the fields where science 
proposed to conduct its examinations, and great was the satis- 
faction of the Judges. But when, in the absence of a confusing 
crowd, seeds were seriously dropped, handles reflectively turned, 
steam thoughtfully applied, and horse-walks circumspectly con- 
sidered — behold a portent ! Many of the drills were found to 
be gaily painted shams, the chaff-cutters choked, steam-engines 
were condemned as " toys," and horse-gears declared to be no 
better than they should be. At the first touch of science, per- 
functoriness collapsed, and there arose a bitter cry for reform. 
The year 1845 witnessed further " struggles toward the 
light," and produced new suggestions from Judges — first, for 
deferred trials in the case of machines not properly capable of 
trial in summer ; and secondly, that the indiscriminate exhibi- 
tion of duplicate machines should be prohibited. The whole show 
of implements at Shrewsbury (1845) was spoken of as "much 
below par," and the reader of these early reports becomes pain- 
fully aware that everybody was dissatisfied with everything ; 
that both implements and trials needed radical improvement. 
Meanwhile, the Society's prize list remaining restricted to 
the simpler field implements, a crowd of new inventions, which, 
however begotten, were certainly not the children of such trials 
as had hitherto taken place, presented themselves for notice, 
and clamoured for money prizes and medals. The portable 
steam-engine, first introduced in a crude rotary form (1841), 
had grown in numbers with every succeeding Show. The 
haymaker had put in its claims (1843) to be considered as a 
practical tool. The first " combined " threshing-machine, and 
the first straw-shaker shown at the Royal Agricultural Show, 
had appeared in 1843 and 1845 respectively. The drill had 
grown, even in the absence of scientific trials, almost to maturity, 
and was being seriously challenged by that child-of-a-day, the 
" Dibbler." Carts had been furnished with springs (1843), 
"Turn wrest" ploughs of excellent design (Low cock 1845) had 
come to the birth. Drain-tile machines and the operation of 
draining were exercising men's minds. Even a steam digger, 
the invention of a lady, bad been shown in 1842, while, as yet, 
all men and all things awaited the avatar of a good system of 
trials. 
The hour and the men came at length. Mr. Amos, now 
Engineer to the Society, had already given much attention to 
the question of dynamometrical tests, when he found himself 
supported, at York in 1848, by the brain and the pen of Mr, 
