626 Report on the Exhibition of Implements at Taunton. 
Chester 13 exhibitors sent 23 machines for trial, while at Ply- 
mouth only 13 machines competed. This seems to indicate 
that the exhibitors, as a body, have not lost their zest for a 
hardly fought contest in the fields, nor their faith in the efficacy 
of trials, and in the genuineness, thoroughness, and importance of 
those conducted by the Royal Agricultural Society of England. 
It may be urged by objectors to the system, " Cui bo7io? In what 
have these recent trials resulted ? Messrs. Hornsby's machines 
took the prize at Manchester, and the same firm have carried all| 
before them at Taunton." The inference that these objectors i 
wish to be drawn is that there have been no material alterations] 
in mowing-machines since the Manchester Meeting. Mr.| 
Hemsley's report answers this : Whoever runs may read, great i 
improvement in detail, in arrangement, in adjustment of im-| 
portant parts, in draught, though the principle is the same, and 
will remain the same, per omne voluhilis cevum. 
The renewed trials of haymakers and horse-rakes are possibly 
not so intelligible or so defensible, though from the wretched' 
work done by many of the horse-rakes it would appear that they 
have not yet been levelled up to the mark by a long way. Still 
the principle of the prize implements in this class was perfect, 
and the work performed by them thoroughly satisfactory. Men- ' 
tion has been made above of the withdrawal from competition 
of four mowing-machines at Taunton at the eleventh hour, for 
reasons which have been well characterised as " unfortunate." 
In the class of haymakers and horse-rakes several exhibitors 
who had entered implements failed to put in an appearance at 
all. The representative of one well-known firm, whose imple- 
ments, duly entered for trial, were actually upon the trial-field, 
refused to allow the Judges to try them, alleging that he hat! 
received strict orders from his employers that they were not to 
be tried. The Stewards, of course, ordered these implements 
to be tried forthwith. It is not fair to the Society to enter 
implements for trial and to withdraw them at the Igist moment. 
An exhibitor is not justified in taking this course except under 
very exceptional circumstances. Arrangements are made bv 
the officials of the Society at much expense and trouble, based 
upon the number of entries, which are frustrated in degree by the 
failure of the exhibitors to fulfil their engagements. Many lead- 
ing implement manufacturers who have gained renown and glory 
at the trials of the Societv, who still record with pride in their, 
trade circulars and advertisements their triumphs thus achieved, 
now decline to enter implements at all for the trials, saying that 
they consider the day of trials has passed and gone; that perlection 
has been attained ; in short, that the millennium of machinery 
has been consummated. This is, at least, straightforward ; but 
