292 Repoi't on the Exhibition and Trials 
(lition, and the barley sufficiently ripe to afford a fair test. At 
both Liverpool in 1877, and Bristol in 187?^, the crops were too 
green, and there might have been a difficulty in deciding had 
the competition been very close. 
The weather, which is so important a factor in meetings of 
this kind, was far from propitious. Heavy and continuous rain 
stopped operations on Monday which had been commenced 
under very flourishing conditions, and prevented a start before 
noon on the second day, whilst driving showers on the Wed- 
nesday interfered with work for at least two hours. Never- 
theless the Judges had ample opportunities to satisfy them- 
selves as to the relative merits of the different machines. Hence 
all the objects of the trials were accomplished, and it seems 
rather unreasonable to complain, as some of the newspapers did, 
that they were not prolonged merely for the satisfaction of the 
reporters. Such prolongation in such broken weather would 
have added considerably to expenses, which were heavy enough 
as it was. However good the arrangement for preventing injury 
to the crop from the public, it is impossible to prevent waste 
of corn at trials open to the public, and which attracted so many 
spectators as those at Derby. To have prolonged the trials after 
all the requirements were fulfilled, would have increased the 
waste ; and whatever the critics may have felt, there is no doubt 
that Mr. Hall regarded the conclusion of the matter with un- 
measured satisfaction. Indeed this gentleman's feelings through- 
out the trials claimed our sympathy. His nervous organisation 
was severely tried. He took a proper pride in his crops, and 
when he saw some portion of his barley being cut in the wet, 
his feelings got the better of him, and he retired in distress, 
only reappearing with the sun. We have no doubt that he 
greatly exag'gerated the damage, for which of course he would 
get compensation.* But even if some loss occurred, the cut- 
ting of a portion of the crop in a damp condition was not 
without its advantage, as showing what the machines could 
do under difficulties ; and very remarkable was the work done 
on Monday afternoon, even during a considerable downpour, by 
some machines, whereas others were unable to cut at all. The 
figures which are appended will convince the reader as to the 
results arrived at ; but it may be stated that the dissatisfaction 
of the public as to the awards arose from the fact that they 
judged the machines from a different standpoint, and viewed 
their work as a whole, whereas the Judges confined their atten- 
tion to efficiency of binding and separation of the sheaf. It is 
(juite reasonable that those who looked at the work generally 
♦ His letter, of which on e xtract has been introduced, favours this view. 
