634  Report  on  Wheat- Mildew. 
by  a damper.  This  alteration  is  useful  for  cooling  the  corn. 
The  hot  air  escapes,  together  with  dust,  &c.,  by  the  strong 
current,  through  the  open  neck  at  the  top  of  the  conical  cylinder, 
along  with  the  evaporated  moisture.  In  the  drawing,  T re- 
presents a steam-drying  cylinder,  into  which  steam  is  admitted 
by  holes  in  the  hollow  shaft,  an  alternative  arrangement  with 
the  serpentine  coils  of  pipes.  Inside  the  conical  cylinder  are 
fitted  plates,  U,  for  the  purpose  of  lifting  and  turning  the  grain, 
so  as  to  cause  it  to  fall  over  and  over.  On  the  shaft,  E,  is 
secured  a worm-wheel,  V,  actuated  by  a worm,  W,  fitted  on  a 
shaft,  X,  which  works  in  bearings,  Y,  cast  on  the  side  of  the 
frame,  2,  on  which  frame  is  secured  the  bearing,  G,  which 
carries  the  lower  half  end  of  the  hollow  shaft.  The  hollow 
shaft  is  connected  with  the  steam-pipe  by  a flexible  expansion 
joint,  H.  The  cylinder  is  provided  with  an  arrangement  of 
sieves,  which  can  also  be  used  as  doors  for  filling  or  dis- 
charging contents.  These  sieves  are  useful  for  separating 
cockles,  dirt,  &c.  It  should  be  mentioned  that  the  invention 
provides  for  the  application  of  a jet  of  steam  and  a rose  of 
water,  which  may  be  desirable  in  certain  cases  for  cleansing 
dirty  grain,  preparing  brittle  grain  for  millstones,  &c.  It  is 
stated  by  the  inventor  that  in  1881  wheat  of  Lord  Londesborough’s 
was  improved  in  value  20s.  per  quarter  by  being  put  through 
this  machine.  The  Catalogue  price  of  the  Dryer  is  50/.  The 
Judges  were  inclined  to  view  this  invention  favourably  ; and 
when  it  is  improved  in  construction,  as  to  which  there  is  plenty 
of  room,  they  can  readily  believe  that  this  machine  may  be 
valuable  for  drying  grain. 
I cannot  conclude  this  brief  description  of  some  of  the 
novelties  of  the  Machinery  Department  of  the  York  Show 
without  expressing  our  grateful  sense  of  the  valuable  assistance 
given  us  by  Mr.  Robert  Neville,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the 
Engineering  Staff ; and  our  best  thanks  are  due  to  the  Stewards 
of  Implements  for  their  unvarying  kindness  and  ready  attention 
to  all  our  requirements. 
XXVII. — Report  on  Wheat-Mildew.  By  W.  C.  Little,  of 
Stag’s  Holt,  March,  Cambridgeshire. 
Among  the  numerous  diseases  which  affect  the  cultivated 
crops  of  this  country,  there  is  probably  not  one  which  is  more 
disastrous  to  the  farmer  than  wheat-mildew  is  in  those  parts  of 
the  country  where  it  is  frequently  prevalent.  Potato-blight  and 
hop-mould  may  sometimes  entirely  destroy  crops  which  are 
