662 Report on the Trials of 'Implements at Taunton. | 
farmers have two, three, four, or more. This is the first time th( 
Society has offered prizes for self-acting horse-rakes — although ar 
encouragement was offered last year by one of the Society's medali 
being given to such an arrangement ; it means that the powei 
of the horse is by an appropriate mechanical arrangement em- 
ployed in liberating the load as well as in drawing the rake 
so that a boy or weakly person can manage it. In some cases, 
such as in damp weather, the corn or hay becomes fixed in tbe 
rake, while the horse still keeps advancing, and the rake rides 
over the ground with a full load before the attendant can liberat( 
it. It is in such cases that this appliance is found to be o) 
special advantage. A minute of the Implement Committee ■ 
explained, " that it is not necessary that horse-rakes competing i 
in Class IV. should be absolutely self-acting, but that absolute II 
self-action will be considered a point of merit." The same 
Judges officiated for the two classes of Horse-rakes as in the ij 
trials of Hay-making Machines. j 
The following printed Table of points of merit had been ) 
previously drawn up and published : — 
1. Mechanical construction and workmanship, with soundness 
and quality of materials 250 
2. Simplicity and lightness, combined with strength .. .. 100 
3. Shape and capacity of rake teeth, with their mode of 
attachment 100 
4. Mode of adjusting teeth to suit various kinds of work . . 100 
5. The simplicity and efSciency of the self-acting arrangement 200 
6. Perfection of work done 200 
7. Price 50 
1000 
Seven machines were brought to trial : 2 by Haughton and 
Thompson, 2 by Nicholson and Son, 1 by Rollins and Company, 
1 by Page and Company, and 1 by Whiteside and Company. 
They were tried upon a heavy crop of hay, and upon land 
partly cleared ; and a summary of the results is given in Table 
IV. annexed. 
The First Prize was awarded to No. 1037, manufactured by 
Nicholson and Son, with the same self-acting principle as was 
sliown in the drawing in last year's 'Journal'; but as some 
additions have been made to it, a drawing of the machine as at 
present made is given in Fig. 34. 
The Judges considered the shape of the tooth the best in the 
class, and that the manufacture altogether was good. 
Nicholson's Self-acting Horse-rake, No. 1037. — Fig. 34 represents a trans- 
verse section, showing the arrangements of botli the self-acting and hand- 
leverage for lifting the teeth. The teeth a a, of which there are twentyi 
