462 Report on the Exhibition and Trials of Implements at Leeds. 
witli him and the other members of that distinguished body will long be held 
by us in remembrance in connexion with the meeting of the Royal Agricultural 
Society of 186 1. 
John Hicken, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, near Rugby. 
G. M. Hll'WELL. 
W. TiNDALL. 
Report of the J udges of Steam Cultivators. 
Of the sum appropriated to prizes for steam cultivation, 1007. was assigned 
to Class I. for the general a])plication of steam ]io\ver to the cultivation of 
the soil; and 100/. to Class II., in which the limitation was prescribed that 
the plough or cultivator was to be worked by an ordinary portable engine not 
exceeding 10-horse power. 
Our trial of the implements entered in Class I. commenced on the 2nd July, 
upon a farm in the occujiation of IMr. Brady Nicholson, of Stourton Grange, 
and on land which is here considered light, but is only relatively so. On some 
of this land it would have been good work for three horses to plough a furrow 
six inches deep and of proportionate width ; whilst the lightest parts would, at 
all times, give quite draught enough for a pair. Moreover, in many places 
the limestone rock lies very near the surface, and offers great obstructions to 
deep cultivation. 
The first field selected contained about 32 acres. It had, in the previous 
year, been cropjied with turnips, which had been eaten off by sheep, and, 
excejiting a slight scarifying and harrowing to keep down the weeds, the land 
remained in the same consolidated state as when left by the sheep. This field 
was thought to be well suited for the preparation of a seed-bed for a su]iposed 
crop of spring wheat or barley ; and the competitors were directed to do the 
work in the way they thought best adapted to their respective implements. 
Plots of 4 acres were allotted to each ; and in order to test their capabilities of 
fini.shing fields without trespassing on adjoining roads or land, the exhibitors 
were requested not to allow their engines or any part of their apparatus to be 
placed beyond the prescribed boundaries. 
Plot No. 1 was dra wu by Messrs. Howard. The implement used was their 
double-action five-tined steam cultivator, which is worked backwards and for- 
wards across the land by a windlass with reversing gear, so that turning at the 
end of the lands is unnecessary. At the first operation, a depth of about 5 
inches was attained, but on removing the displaced soil it was evident that the 
land was only partly stirred, the cleared surface presenting a series of narrow 
unmoved ridges, the cultivator being furnished with only narrow spud- 
points. Messrs. Howard, however, do not profess that one operation peri'ects 
their work, which requires to be crossed again at right angles. The cross 
cultivation in this instance was necessarily slow ; the plot of land being 
narrow, about one-fourth of the time was consumed in stopping and re- 
starting the implement. When the cross-cultivation was completed, the 
surface of the land was well stirred ; a depth of 6 or 7 inches was generally 
attained, but the bottom still jH-esented the same ridged appearance as before. 
The chief objection to this implement is, that the wheels pass over the land 
after it is cultivated, and by their pressure make a deep seam ; this not only 
renders sowing or drilling the seed at a imifurm depth without a previous 
harrowing, impracticable, but also replants any couch-grass or other weeds pre- 
viously brought to the surface. With this exception, the land was left in a 
good state for fallow, and could have been soon reduced by a hari-ow and roll 
to a fine and deep seed-bed. The headlands were cultivated twice over, but 
necessarily each time in the same direction. 
Plot No. 2 was drawn for Mr. Wilson, of Wansford, Northamptonshire, who 
