at the York Meeting, 1848. 
379 
having won an additional mark of distinction at this meeting with 
implements which had been frequently rewarded on previous oc- 
casions. 
The second head under which the advantages arising from 
shows of implements may be classed is, improvement in the con- 
struction and manufacture of the implements themselves. Many 
of the implement-makers are candid enough to acknowledge that 
they have received much benefit from attending the meetings of 
the leading agricultural societies, and a better illustration of this 
point can hardly be desired than the following very honest and 
instructive statement made in the presence of the writer, by an 
exhibitor who received prizes from the Royal Agricultural Society, 
both at York and Northampton. He said : " The first time I 
attended an agricultural show, I took a waggon-load of implements, 
which I thought as good as anybody's; but instead of winning 
prizes, I was found fault with by the judges for bringing such 
inferior articles to a show. I returned home excessively angry, 
thinking them very bad judges; but after a time I began to con- 
sider that they could have no object in annoying me, except for 
my own good, and that they might be right after all. I accord- 
ingly set to work to improve, and went to the persons whom I con- 
sidered the best implement-makers of the day, Messrs. Ransome, 
and agreed with them for permission to use their improvements. 
Since then I have gone on improving, and been very successful." 
An exhibitor who takes a defeat in this spirit can. hardly fail 
of being ultimately successful, and it is gratifying to observe that 
the practice of purchasing the right of using the discoveries of 
others, is making considerable progress amongst the most en- 
lightened implement-makers. Many instances of it occurred at 
York — of the two prize ploughs, Busby's and Howard's, one con- 
tained Messrs. Hensman's excellent mode of adjusting the coulter, 
and the other Messrs. Ransome's trussed beam ; and numerous 
and valuable as have been the inventions of Messrs. Garrett and 
Hornsby, they have not allowed any feeling of self-sufficiency to 
prevent their availing themselves of the prize implements of 
Messrs. Coleman, Comes, Read, Phillips, and Weller. 
These, with many other instances which might have been 
quoted, are satisfactory proofs of the existence of a liberal spirit, 
which promises to have the best effect in bringing the most ap- 
proved implements into general circulation. It will also, in all 
probability, tend to the advantage of the inventors themselves, as, 
however jealously an improvement may be confined to a parti- 
cular workshop, it is exceedingly difficult to guard against piracy 
and evasion, and it is better on all accounts to make fair terms 
with other implement-makers than to be continually resorting to 
a court of law. 
2 c 2 
