384 Report on the Exhibition of Implements 
seen this truly original machine in work, he cannot describe its 
construction and action with the accuracy he could desire. It is 
to be hoped that it will re-appear at the next meeting. The win- 
nowing machine by tlie same makers is open to the same re- 
mark. 
Of the hand-threshing machines the judges observe, "That 
which we considered to possess the greatest merit foi* originality of 
design, as aUo in its performance, was exhibited by Messrs. 
Barrett, Exall, and Andrews, of Reading. We highly commend 
this machine as likely to be useful in populous districts. Several 
others seem to have been copied from it." 
Fry's threshing-floor is spoken of as " good and ingenious." It 
seemed to the writer that this simple contrivance, which permits 
the grain, as beaten out, to fall through a screen or grating of 
parallel round iron rods forming the upper siirface of a large box 
which acts as the grain-receiver, may prove extremely useful for 
small farmers, and particularly for emigrants. The flail is a triple 
rod, and can be easily handled by a lad or a woman. 
The show-yard is stated to have contained a great number of 
useful and good threshing machines : it appeai-s, however, that no 
one of them possessed claims to superiority over those shown at 
former meetings so sufficiently marked as, in the opinion of the 
judges, to be entitled to the distinction of a prize. 
Corn Mills. — The silver medal was adjudged to Mr. Dean, of 
Birmingham, for a French burr-stone hand-mill. The judges 
state this article "to possess great superiority over the steel mills, 
and will continue to do so. We do not consider any of the steel 
mills worthy of notice." 
Mr. Cambridge, of Market Lavington, Wilts, produced some 
mills of which " the price was considered too high, and more 
suitable for a baker or flour-dealer than a farmer." 
Bone Mills. — Two mills were exhibited by Mr. Dean, of Bir- 
mingham, the one for breaking up bones to sizes suitable for 
drilling; the other for grinding the produce of the preceding into 
fine dust. The judges observe that these were the only mills for 
the purpose in the show-yard, and were of " fair quality." 
The attention of Mr. Dean and other manufacturers of strong 
and powerful machines, may be usefully directed to the construc- 
tion of small-sized bone-crushers. There is u prevailing sentiment 
among agriculturists that the crushed bones of commerce are not 
unfrequently mixed with ingredients of no value, and that home 
collecting and crushing would save them from imposition. A very 
simple machine might also be made for reducing r/uano (some 
cargoes of which contain a considerable proportion of very hard 
nodules) to a fine state of pulverulence. It is a burden on the 
honest merchant to have to send this substance to a mill to be 
