364 
On the Use of the Water-Drill. 
fluenced by the slide, and when a smaller quantity was desired 
more of the holes were stopped by it ; and at the ends of the 
field, to prevent any escape of the manure whilst turning and 
setting in again, the slide was made to pass under the entire 
of the plates, thereby preventing any discbarge whatever. To 
prevent any particles or small unbroken 'lumps of manure getting 
into these holes in the plates, a cylinder with small steel stirrers 
revolves inside the cistern ; these stirrers just pass over the 
plates, gently scraping them, thereby preventing any accumu- 
lation which might occasion a stoppage or interruption of the 
proper supply of liquid from the cistern. Both these principles 
of drill possess advantages and disadvantages which are worthy 
our attention, and which, as far as my own experience and ob- 
servation enable me, I will attempt to point out. The drill 
made upon the cup principle is more easy of management, and 
requires less care in the preparation of the manure, than the 
other, and is consequently more largely adopted in those districts 
where used for green crops only. But where required for cereal 
crops, the cup drill is altogether inferior to the other. There is 
necessarily great difficulty in getting as large a number of these 
cups to work in the cistern as are required to supply with liquid 
the number of coulters generally used when sowing corn. But 
of course this objection only applies to those crops which 
are usually sown in rows not more tlian 8 or 10 inches apart. 
There is, however, one other objectiori to this cup principle, 
which is of more general application. When the drill turns 
round at each end of the field there is always a temporary pause 
before the horses start again, and during this momentary delay 
and want of motion in the drill the more solid parts of the 
manure — those least soluble — naturally settle and accumulate 
at the bottom of the cistern ; and then, as the drill starts 
again, ere it gets into full motion and the liquid acquires one 
uniform consistency, the cups fill with tliis solid sediment, which, 
instead of discharging, they retain, until the more perfect motion 
of the drill washes it out and they commence a proper discharge, 
but this is not until the horses have moved some few y.ards ; the 
consequence is, the ends of all the rows receive an inadequate 
supply of manure. This is a difficulty I have hitherto been 
unable to overcome, and is also one of some practical im- 
portance. 
Messrs. Reeves' new principle, on the other hand, is better 
adapted for general purposes, as a larger number of coulters can 
be supplied with liquid, which is of very grave moment in this 
neighbourhood where the water-drill is so largely employed in 
the growth of cereal crops. It is also free from the objection 
