Report on the Trials of Potato-raising Machines. 217 
the admirable arrangements carried out by Mr. Jacob Wilson 
and the stewards, everything was ready for work at the stated 
time, 10 A.M., and, aided by the weather, a rather formidable 
programme was got through with comparative ease by 5 P.M. 
The weather was favourable not only at the trial but for many 
days previously, resulting in a dryness and friable condition of 
the land, which facilitated working, and was more advantageous 
to the competitors than to intending purchasers, for whom a 
severer test, more in accordance with ordinary conditions, would 
have been desirable. As it was, all the machines in the first 
class made good work, and even the lower-priced implements got 
through the trials in a way that was better than we anticipated. 
-The Society were fortunate in securing a uniform crop of 
York Regents, at least so far as the amount of top was con- 
cerned. Here, again, competitors were in luck, inasmuch as the 
original luxuriance of the haulm was considerably reduced by 
the sharp frosts of the previous week, so that with one or two 
exceptions there was no difficulty in dealing with the crop in 
its natural state — a point of much importance, as the labour of 
removing the tops, which is necessary in some cases and for 
some kinds of implements, must be a considerable item. A 
flat of about six acres was divided by suitable headrigs into three 
equal portions of 100 yards long, and each containing eight 
di-ills for each machine, with one cleared drill between each 
plot. The two upper lots were left as they grew, the first being 
utilised for the preliminary runs, the second for the more ex- 
haustive tests, whilst the third, from which the tops had been 
most carefully removed, was mainly useful for the draft trials 
by the dynamometer, and for any final test that might seem 
necessary. There were eleven machines entered for trial, seven 
in the first class, for which the conditions were that the cost 
should exceed 5?., and four in the second class, in which the 
price of the machines should not exceed bl. 
Most of the machines were very similar as to general design, 
differing slightly in details. Thus they comprised a strong 
cast-iron framework carried on the axle of two large travelling 
wheels, on the peripheries of which spuds are bolted, which 
prevent slipping and secure adequate driving power motion by 
means of ratchets on both wheels ; and bevel gearing is communi- 
cated to a shaft, carrying, at its termination behind, a revolving 
fork furnished with eight arms, which are bifurcated at their, 
ends. The diameter of the travelling wheels being usually 
about 4 feet, that of the fork 3 feet 6 inches, the respective 
speeds being about six to one, i.e., for every 12 feet of advance, 
the fork-wheel makes six revolutions. This considerable speed 
is required to lift the tubers, and q, large portion of the soil, a 
