468 Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxford. 
Large. Face plate coupliucrs are provided in lieu of universal joint, the 
exhibitors bciug of opinion that, as the latter wears, friction is increased. 
Price, 111. 
There should undoubtedly be some certain means taken to ensure the price 
put down in the catalogue being the regular selling price of the article, or, 
in other words, that the exhibitors should be bound to sell the very same 
article at the same price to any purchaser within a reasonable time, say a 
year. 
Section III. — Mills. 
At the end of the Judges' Keport on Mills tried at Bury, it is suggested that 
improved arrangements be made for attaching the machines to the dynamo- 
meter, that the platform should be level all round, so that machines may be 
brought to, and removed from, the scene ; that the trials be under a shed, and 
that the stone mills should be brought to trial on four wheels. We are happy 
to say that all these hints, save the last, were strictly attended to with mani- 
fest advantage. When once the Judges got fairly into harness, the progress, 
considering the cumbrous nature of the mills, was quite as rapid as could be 
expected. Tlie method of bringing the mills to the scene of action was superior 
to the conceptions of Judges four years ago. Aveling's travelling crane whipped 
them up and carried them otf in a twinkling ; and so admirable is the ma- 
chinery of " Little Tom," and so clever the driver, that the runner-stones were 
lowered on to the socket almost without manual labour. After watching the 
operations of this " Little Wonder " for a week, we fully endorse the enco- 
miums bestowed on it in the Engineer's report, and think that the Society 
would do well to purchase this most useful motive power, which would be found 
valuable not only during the trials, but whilst the shedding was being erected. 
The Judges express dissatisfaction at the nature of the results both from the 
stone and metal mills. The tests employed were as com])lete as time would 
admit, or as the circumstances required. The presence of a practical miller, 
who acted throughout as the Judges' assistant, was felt to be a valuable inno- 
vation, which it is hoped will be continued in the future. According to 
instructions issued by the Society samples were prepared of wheat and barley, 
such as, in the opinion of the Judges, were suitable for a farmer's purpose. Each 
exhibitor was allowed to work imtil lie had properly adjusted his mill, and pro- 
duced the quality as nearly approaching the sample as possible. On these points 
the opinion of the nailer was of great value. Then, without stopping the mill 
or altering the feed, a run of five minutes was taken through the dynamo- 
meter, the power noted, and produce weighed. The Judges consider that the 
deficiency of result was, in many cases, attributable to bad management by 
attendants, rather than to laulty construction. In several instances the 
pulleys were not of the regulation dimensions ; hence the speed was not right. 
Had the stone mills been driven faster, the work would have been better. No 
particular improvement has taken place in steel mills, and though several of 
the iiower-mills are very suitable for a farmer's purpose, and — on the score of 
price, handy form for fixing, and moderate durability — really desirable, the 
Judges were imanimous in condemning the class of hand-power mills as prac- 
tically useless, on account of the power consumed for a miserable result, 
making it far more costly than a miller's fees ; and they also wish to state 
then" conviction that mills with stone grinders are not suitable for portable 
purposes. 
