Report on the Exhibition of Implements at Taunton. 625 
the valley of the Tone like a large amphitheatre, now bathed in 
sunshine, now clothed with silver-lined shades. Had the rain 
come down then as piteously as it poured during the following 
week it would have been impossible for the Judges to have 
^ performed their task during the allotted time. As it was, 
favente Jove, they barely got through their work, and could not 
[ give their awards in until late on Monday the 12th, though there 
were but few hindrances, and everything worked smoothly and 
well. The local committee had done all in their power to 
make satisfactory arrangements for the trials, and carried out 
^ thoroughly well the details of the duties they had undertaken 
with regard to them and the Show generally. The trial-fields 
had been arranged and marked out by the Stewards ; and some 
were measured off on Saturday, the 3rd of July, in order that 
the Judges might be enabled to commence proceedings the first 
thing on Monday morning, instead of having to waste the best 
part of the first day, as has happened upon some former occasions, 
waiting while these preliminaries were settled. Arrangement of 
these details in order that the Judges may begin their work at 
once, either of inspection of the parked implements or of actual 
trial, entails the attendance of one or two of the Stewards a day 
or so earlier at the scene of action. The advantages are so 
obvious, and so great to the Stewards themselves and to all 
parties concerned, that it is hoped that they will not mind this 
slight inconvenience, and will always arrange that everything 
shall be in order for the Judges when they assemble. Most of 
; the machines for trial were parked on Saturday inside the 
Showyard, conveniently close to the gate nearest to the fields. 
The Stewards wished to have them parked in the fields ; but 
upon the representation of the exhibitors that they vi^ould be 
exposed to mischievous or malicious damage during Sunday, 
and considering the close propinquity of the trial-fields, they 
consented that they might remain in the Showyard, parked near 
the gate. Much valuable time would be saved if, in cases like 
. Hull and Wolverhampton, for example, where the trial-fields 
were a long way from the Showyard, the implements for trial 
were parked in the trial-field before the Judges began their 
labours. 
At this time, when the manufacturers of implements and others 
are doubting the necessity for further trials of standard or 
. ordinary agricultural machines and implements, it will be satis- 
6 factory to those who believe that the trial system should be 
continued, to note that the number of mowing-machines that 
competed at Taunton was considerably greater than at Man- 
chester or Plymouth. There were 35 two-horse mowers in 
competition at Taunton belonging to 18 exhibitors. At Man- 
