Report on the Exhibition of Implements at Taunton. 627 
o enter lor trial and then to withdraw from it is unintellijrible, 
hiklish, and vexatious. 
A Steward of Implements who has served his time, and who 
aas gone through the four years' course, must be struck with 
he energy, assiduity, and intelligence of the Judges as a rule ; 
md at Taunton, during the recent trials of mowing-machines^ 
t was refreshing to see how hard the three Judges worked. 
Vo Judges, moreover, from what class or in what way they 
night have been selected, could have displayed more impartialitv, 
greater intelligence, or a more thorough practical knowledge; 
lotwithstanding a paragraph in the ' Times ' of the 12th of July, 
vhich was copied and circulated by a leading firm of implement- 
nakcrs, who exhibited largely at Taunton, upon the reverse of 
heir trade card. This objected to the prize system, and the 
Society's Judges were described in it as " three farmers more or 
ess competent to form an opinion, but also liable to unconscious 
)redilection for one principle or one fashion in the mechanism 
ubmitted to their judgment or fancy." Now, it is questioned 
vhether any more competent tribunal to judge agricultural 
nachinery could be formed than that composed of practical 
armers who understand how to work the machines them- 
elves, and know exactly what is required of them ; who have a 
air knowledge of mechanical principles, and are assisted and 
idvised by a staff of talented engineers, furnished with improved 
nachinery for testing draught and other vital elements, which are 
luly taken into account in the decision:; and awards. There 
an hardly be a happier combination of science with practice, 
.rhe tables of points of merit to be awarded for perfection in the 
arious qualifications of the different machines and implements 
or trial show how evenly the scientific and the practical are 
)alanced. If those arranged for the late trials of mowing- 
nachines are examined, it will be seen that more than half of 
,he maximum of 1000 points denoting perfection are assigned 
o qualifications that must in a great degree be gauged by the 
■ngineers, and determined with mathematical precision by the 
lynamometer. The Judges cannot 'arbitrarily ignore and set 
..side these results ; and it is difficult to understand how their 
Ueged predilection for one principle or one fashion in the 
nechanism submitted to their judgment can influence or guide 
hem in awarding the more practical points, which are as 
ollows : viz.. No. 4, " General arrangement and adaptation of 
nachine for working on uneven ground. No. G. General per- 
iction of work, including closeness and evenness of cut, free- 
om from clogging, and mode of leaving the grass. No. 7. 
'rice." These are absolute qualities : no machine combining 
lese could be ignored by the Judges upon a simple question 
