I Report on the Trials of Implements at Taunton. 637 
Monday, the 5th July, and two following days, were occupied 
in trying- the 35 two-horse mowers in the fields above named, 
their positions having been assigned by ballot — Hornsbv and 
Sons sent 4 ; Kearsley, 4 ; Lewis and Locock, 3 ; Harrison 
and M'Gregor, 3 ; Osborne and Co., 2 ; Samuelson, 2 ; Fell, 
2 ; Williams, 2 ; Brigham, 2 ; Picksley, Sims and Co., 2 ; 
Brenton, 2 ; Burgess and Key, 1 ; Vipan and Headley, 1 ; 
William Anson Wood, 1 ; Wray, 1 ; Walter A. Wood, 1 ; 
Matteson, 1 ; Haughton and Thompson, 1. 
The Judges considered that none of them could be disqualified 
as being duplicates, in the meaning of the term adopted by the 
Society ; and this opinion was confirmed by the engineers, who 
had all the machines brought back into the Showyard and care- 
fully inspected, accompanied by one of the Judges, but without 
any attendant from the maker. After the Judges had compared 
their notes and points, and considered the engineers' report, they 
selected 20 machines, which are noted in the annexed Table (II. j, 
out of the 35, for further trial on the clover crop on the following 
day. Heavy rain during the night and forenoon caused this long 
stuff to be very difficult to quit the machine. ^Nlost of the crop 
laid one w'ay, away from the knife, which, of course, throated it 
the other : however, all the machines got through very creditably ; 
some of them not cutting quite so low as others, on account 
of stones they had to encounter. On Saturday these 20 first- 
selected machines were taken to a plot of light grass, having 
probably 20 to 25 cwts. of hay per acre. A flat board was placed 
on the ground, and each machine was put upon it, and the knives 
were all set at l^inch cut from the board, the height which the 
Judges thought most practical, and which was carefully measured 
by the assistant-engineer. The machines were then attached to 
the Society's new dynamometer, and the draught and side-strain 
were taken, each machine being run round on both sides of the 
plot (two observations being taken), to ensure uniformity of cut 
and weight of crop, the average of the two being noted. It may 
be as well to state that the side-strain was taken two feet, in all 
cases, from the ordinary attachment at the end of the pole, to 
suit the draught of the dynamometer. It will be noticed that 
this side-strain was not taken at the extreme point of attach- 
ment to the horse's collar ; but all the machines were tried 
alike. The height of the pole from the ground was regulated 
^t the wish of the exhibitor ; but in this point there were very 
slight differences between them. Each of the machines, before 
being detached from the dynamometer, was taken to the same 
solid piece of ground and run in gear, but not cutting, to test 
the raught for friction only. 
These tests occupied a considerable time ; and the Judges, 
