Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxford. 451 
the boiler, and attend to the whole ; and it was evident that there could not be 
the sliglitest objection to such a course, as the whole attention of the man 
could be given to the work, inasmuch as he had nothing to do with any 
machinery driven by the engine, as is generally the case on a farm, where a 
man is expected to give as much attention as he can to all the machinery in 
motion. • ""^ 
Unfortunately the Reading Iron Works Company were compelled to dis- 
pense with their feed-water heater, as it formed no part of the engine, and 
required the aid of an extra hand. 
This arrangement was therefore carried out with the 4-horse-power engines, 
with boilers combined, though with the 10-horse jiower engines, which were 
independent of the boiler, one man was allowed to the engine, and one man to 
the boiler, which was one belonging to the Society, and was used for all the 
10-horse power engines one after the other. 
The steam-jiressure gauges of all the boilers were tested by the Society's 
ofBcers, and a note made as to when the index stood at 50 lbs. pressure, and 
the boilers were all proved by the Judges to 100 lbs. pressure. (See Table, 
Section I., Class 1.) 
No. 7171. Clayton and Shuttleworth. Fixed Steam Engine of 4-horse-po\ver, 
with boiler combined. This boiler stands upon good supports, on a cast-iron 
bed-plate on the ground, which also forms a shallow tank for feed water, from 
which the feed-pump draws at all times, and into which it returns all surplus 
water that is not required by the boiler. 
The boiler is of the form of an ordinary portable engine boiler, with hori- 
zontal tubes, fire-box, and smoke-box. 
The engine is an horizontal one, very compactly fitted up on one saddle 
casting that lies on the top of the boiler, and carries cylinder, guides, 
and plummer-blocks for the crank-shaft, the fly-wheel overhanging on 
one side. 
This saddle casting is hollow, and takes the eduction steam from the 
cylinder to the chimney, and at the same time has divisions in it that enable 
it to receive the feed water f;om the pump, and heat it on its passage to the 
boiler, so that the water is well heated after it has passed the pump; this is a 
material point, for when feed water is heated before the pump draws it, there 
is always a danger of the pump failing to draw well, and hence the water in 
such cases is generally kept rather cool, or in fact not heated much more than 
half as much as it may be, when it is heated after being pumped ; thus if the 
cold water is at 60°, and it is heated 76° = 136°, it is pretty nearly as hot as 
it can be made if the feed-pump has to draw several feet perpendicular lift, 
and it is wished that it shall be certain to draw and fill well every stroke, 
whereas, if the water is heated another 76° = 212° considerable economy is 
thereby obtained ; and as there is always plenty of eduction steam at 212° to 
heat it, there is good reason for so doing. 
The fire-bars of this boiler were very thin, and the spaces narrow, and we 
think, in actual practice on a farm, it would be found advisable to use stouter 
bars ; the finer bars undoubtedly enable greater perfection in firing to be 
carried out, and there was no limit laid down by the Society this year as to 
size of bars. 
The space taken on plan by the engine and boiler is 8 ft. in length by 3 ft. 
2 in, breath, with 2i in. extra width for fly-wheel. 
The engine worked verj-- steadily, though there was at times a little 
tremor observable in the fly-wheel. The bearings can be readily oiled, as 
well as the oil caps to the cylinder, by the use of a step-ladder or tressel 
of 2 steps. 
No. 2. Eobey and Co. 7110. — This is an upright boiler with vertical engine 
attached to it; cyhnder at top; Ik inches diameter; 120 revolutions per 
