Report on the Trials of Implements at Taunton. 657 
I It was fortunate that a fine day, and a heavy crop of grass, 
estimated at over two tons of hay per acre, cut the previous 
day by the machines, awaited the Judges on Tuesday, July 6. 
r Thirteen machines out of fourteen entered for trial were 
arranged in the field, when, in consequence of some extraordinary 
iind mysterious idea, the manager of a distinguished firm which 
had entered for trial five of their hay-making machines and six 
liorse-rakes, and had allowed them to be brought into the trial- 
field, received a telegram from his employers to withdraw them 
ill. The Judges, after conferring with the Stewards, would not 
1 onsent to such an unprecedented course as their being taken 
back for exhibition in the Showyard, and insisted upon having 
them tried, against the instruction of the firm to their manager, 
who protested that his position with his firm was in danger. 
After this delay the trials commenced, which continued the 
u hole day, with 5 from Nicholson and Son ; 2 from R. Boby ; 
2 from Ashby, Jeffery, and Luke ; 2 from the Reading Iron 
Works ; 1 from W. Affleck ; and 1 from Beare, Son, and Co. 
The Judges were not prepossessed by the appearance of No. 
201, exhibited by Messrs. Ashby, Jeffery, and Luke, furnished 
with a hood, but upon trial they found it the only machine that 
tlid not clog. The hood is made of a light framework of wood, 
covered with canvas ; it is light, but certainly not very durable. 
They found a current of air created under the hood, which 
assisted the forks in ridding themselves of the hay. The hay 
Ijeing confined by the hood, there appeared less disposition to 
shed out the grass-seeds, and it was found that the hay was left 
particularly light upon the ground after it. The adjustments of 
this machine were very simple. 
Unfortunately, the dynamometer was so much engaged with 
the grass-mowers, that the draught was not tried by it. But 
upon this point the Judges were satisfied that it would not be 
more than, if so much as, some other machines, the friction of 
the hay against the hood being more than counterbalanced by the 
current of air completely relieving the forks of the smothering 
effect of a heavy crop, which caused so much clogging, loading 
of the shafts, (5cc., in other machines. During the trial there 
was a strongish breeze, which, however, did not interfere with 
the working of the machine either way. The Judges had no 
difficulty in deciding to give this machine the First Prize. 
A summary of the results of the trials is given in Table III., 
facing page 635. 
Asliby, Jeffery, and Luke's Haymalcing Machine, No. 201. — A in Fig. 31 
iliows the cast-iron framing of this naachiue ; b (Figs. 31 and 32) the niaiu 
