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XII. — Report on tke Exhibition of Implements at the Lincoln 
Meeting of the Society, 1854. By Anthony Hamond. 
In writing the Report of the Lincoln Meeting, it shall be my 
endeavour to give an outline of the improvements which have 
been effected in the last few years, l)y the exhibition and trials 
of implements, at the annual meetings of the Royal Agricultural 
Society. Precisely as we measure the progress of civilisation by 
the increased luxury and requirements of the people, so may we 
measure the progress of agriculture by the increased desire on 
the part of cultivators of land for improved implements and 
agricultural machinery. So much has this desire increased, that 
a new class of manufacturers has sprung up — a class second to 
none in intelligence, perseverance, and skill, — whose inventive 
powers are severely taxed to keep pace with the requirements of 
their customers. The increase of the number and value of 
implements exhibited will be shown by the following figures : — 
Date. Place. Ko. of Exhibitors. Xo. of Articles. Value. 
£. s. d. 
1839 .. Oxford ..23 .. — .. — 
1852 .. Lewes .. 103 .. 1722 .. 19,121 5 8 
1853 .. Gloucester .. 121 .. 1803 .. 24,112 4 10 
1854 .. Lincoln .. 130 .. 1897 .. 28,878 14 9 
The difference between the implements exhibited at the first 
Meeting at Oxford, and those exhibited at Lincoln, was very 
striking. At the former, we had articles exhibited which not 
only puzzled the Judges who had to try them, but the ex- 
hibitors themselves were puzzled to say for what purpose they 
were made ; at the latter, on the contrary, it was scarcely possible 
to point out one implement without some merit peculiar to itself, 
or which was not a favourite in some particular district. 
It was to the plough, I think, that the attention of the imple- 
ment-makers was first called by this Society. If we look at our 
past prize-lists, we find the names of Ball, Busby, Howard, 
and Ransome (I place them alphabetically), one or other of 
whom invariably takes a premium. 
In drills, Garrett, Hornsby, and Smith of Peasenhall, have 
arrived at that perfection, that the only suggestion I can make 
is that they should be lighter and less expensive. With regard 
to the improvements which have taken place in the machinery 
for threshing and dressing corn, the Report of the Engineers and 
Judges fully establishes the fact that the labours of tlie Agricul- 
tural Society have been eminently successful. Indeed, I may 
here observe that iinprovements — I do not say inventions — are, for 
the most part, suggested by the failures which occur when 
