at the Carlisle Meeting, 1855. 
525 
in our opinion bo done nioro effectually, and at least as economically, by a 
plough and subpulvcvizer being used as distinct implements. 
Harrows. — These implements were tried upo\i ridge-and-furrow lauds. The 
harrows made by Messrs. Howard, jointed near the ends, were admirably 
adapted for these inequalities of surface, and made excellent work. Those 
exhibited by Mr. Williams and Mr. Bentall were well constructed, but more 
particularly adapted to work on level surfaces. 
There being no prize oll'ered, the Judges highly commend the harrows of 
Messrs. Howard. 
Steam Cultivators. 
Several novel implements were exhibited in this class, but as none of them 
fulfilled, or made any near approach to the fulfilment of, the terms on which 
the Society's prize of 200Z. was offered, the prize was withheld. 
The cultivator exhibited by Mr. Usher of Edinburgh was constructed on 
the principle of combining the locomotive and cultivating power in one 
machine. It consisted of a steam engine moving itself by the revolution 
of a large circular roller placed under the engine ; and a number of ordinary 
ploughshares reversed, revolving behind the engines, were the instruments of 
cultivation. 
Tiie Judges were desirous of testing this machine in the trial field, but the 
owner was either unwilling or xmable to move it there, and it was therefore 
by permission of the local authorities of Carlisle tried upon a flat piece of 
rich turf land, on a deep loamy soil, near the show-yard. The results were 
very unsatisfactory. 
The machine, under the most favourable circumstances, could with difiBculty 
move itself, and the revolving shares neither inverted nor pulverized the soil, 
but tumbled it about in wild confusion, and left it in a state more unfavour- 
able for cultivation than it was before. 
TJie Steam Cultivator of Mr. Fiskin consisted of two ordinary ploughs 
fixed to a carriage or frame-work of iron, and moved by a drag rope, and an 
endless rope, running at great speed, communicating the power from a loco- 
motive engine fixed in a corner of the field. 
The mode of traction, communicated from a stationary engine, appeared to 
the Judges to recognise the only principle on which at j^resent steam can be 
applied to field culture, and the application in this case was very ingenious. 
The machine itself, however, had been hastily constructed, and the ploughs 
attached were so ill formed that the work was imperfectly done, and the 
machine failed to give the satisfaction that would have resulted, had more 
time and care been given to its construction. 
Though the Judges cannot report this machine in its present form as an 
economical substitute for the ordinary plough, they consider it an implement 
of considerable promise, and would suggest to the owners that in their efforts 
for improving it, they should avail themselves of the best form of shares and 
mould-boards now in use, and that provision should be made for raising and 
lowering the framework on either side of the. machine, in order to regulate 
the depth of the ploughs, and to fit it for work on unlevel as well as level 
ground. 
TnoMAS Hdskinson. 
Thomas Scott. 
Eeport on Reaping Machines. 
The trial of Eeaping Machines at Carlisle appeared to excite the same lively 
interest observable on the occasion of former experiments ; and the desire of 
so large a number of agriculturists to witness the performance of these 
VOL. XVI. 2 M 
