481' Th& Tiials of ThresJdng Machines at Doncastei'. 
of the shed allowed the delivery of the straw from the machinea 
under trial, and its transport for re-threshing, to take place 
under cover. Along the length of the shed, in front of same, 
a line of rails was fixed. On this were mounted on trolleys two 
engines provided by Messrs. Davey, Paxman & Co., of Colchester, 
for driving the machines under trial. One engine (a single- 
cylinder engine) was used when necessary for the preliminary 
trial, the other (a compound engine of the Newcastle Prize 
type) was connected by a coupling shaft to the dynamometer, 
which was also mounted on the same trolley, and through which 
the threshing machine under trial was driven, the exact amount 
of power taken during the trial being thereby measured. The 
trolleys could be readily moved to and fro by a rope and crab 
into any required position for driving the machines. 
At the entrance to the shed was a large weigh-bridge, lent 
by Messrs. Pooley & Sons, on which each cartload of corn 
was weighed as it came in from the stack. A small portable 
weighing machine was used for weighing the threshed corn. 
The stacks of corn were close to the shed, and were protected 
by rick cloths. Fortunately the weather during the trials was 
all that could be desired ; but it would be advisable in future 
trials to get all the ricks under cover, so as to avoid cartage 
through the open, as, had the weather been wet, there must have 
either been an interruption to the work, or a want of imiformity 
in the corn served to the machines. The trials commenced on 
Tuesday, June 16, the Judges being Dr. W. Anderson, C.E., 
F.R.S., Colonel Grantham, and Mr. S. Rowlandson. 
The order (determined by lot) in which the machines were 
tried was as follows: — (1) Foster, No. 4,156; (2) Tasker, No. 
4,144; (3) Coultas, No. 601; (4) Gibbons, No. 4,142; (5) 
Foden, No. 4,152. This order is adhered to throughout the 
tabular statements of the results of the trials. 
An examination of these machines showed that they would 
all be capable of getting through their preliminary trials ; and 
as there was an ample supply of corn, a slight deviation in 
procedure from that originally contemplated was adopted, it 
being decided that each machine, having got through the 
exhibitors' preliminary trial, should at once go on to the hour's 
trial in wheat, to be followed immediately by the runs with barley 
and oats. This effected a very considerable saving of time in 
shifting from one machine to another. 
It may be noted, in comparing the present trials with those 
of 1872, that whereas at Cardiff a given quantity of corn was 
weighed out to the various machines for their several runs, on 
the present occasion the duration of the trial was made the 
