668 Report on tlic Trials of Implements at Taunton. 
were sufficiently simple and effective. They recommended that 
two prizes should be offered this year, one for a combined 
guard and feeder, the other for a guard ; and the Society acted 
upon this suggestion. It may not be out of place to state here, 
that farmers generally, taking a broad and practical view of 
this matter, are not convinced that either guards or self-feeders 
are a necessity in this country. It is contended that accidents, 
except from the most gross carelessness, are of very rare occur- 
rence, considering the number of machines working ; and it 
must not be forgotten that v/ith a powerful machine like a 
threshing-machine, even with the best guard, accidents cannot 
be altogether avoided ; and with less care, they may even be 
aggravated. 
If these guards take more power, add to the expense and 
complication, and are liable to get out of order, or are an 
obstruction to the work, they cannot be expected to find favour, 
nor to be long tolerated by the farmer who uses his own machine, 
or by the machinist who contracts to do this kind of work to a 
large extent in the country. 
The prizes offered in Class A were : — • 
For the best Guard or appliance to the Drum of a 
Threshing-Machine for preventing accidents to the £ 
people employed 20 
For the second best 10 
The Judges appointed to try these appliances were Mr. Sanday, 
Ratcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham ; Mr. Chambers, Colkirk Hall, 
Fakenham, Norfolk ; Mr. Lake, Edgeworthy, Morchard, Devon. 
The usual printed instructions were given to them, and the 
Table of points of merit was prepared as follows :— 
1. Efficiency and simplicity .• 300 
2. Non-interference with the quantity and qu&litj'- of work 
done 300 
3. The mode of adjustment 100 
4. Price .. ' 300 
' 1000 
These points were taken by the Judges separately, and com- 
pared at the conclusion of each trial ; and the numbers were 
awarded to each exhibitor collectively. It will be noticed that 
the price was considered of great importance in a simple 
guard ; 16 of these appliances, out of 17 that had been entered, 
were brought for inspection. 
Wheat in the sheaf was provided by the Society ; and. the 
several threshing-machines having these attachments, which 
required a trial, were drawn under a temporary shed, and 
thoroughly tried in every practical manner, the power being 
