Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxjord. 529 
upright, the latter is pushed forward into a slanting position, the platform 
is elevated, and remains so until the circular portion leaves company, when 
the upright returns to its original position, the platform drops, and remains 
down until acted ujion by another revolution of the cam. The preceding 
sketches will illustrate the action. 
The improvement claimed is, reducing the work of the attendant, who, get- 
ting a better purchase from which to work his collecting rake, can give all his 
attention to one object, and is more likely to be able to get rid of a big crop. 
This is an imiiortant point. 
In the event of it being desirable to clear the platform more frequently, as 
in a very heavy crop, the speed of the crescent can be increased ; but at the 
same time it is clear that the period during which the platform remains on 
the ground is lessened, and therefore the difficulty of clearing is increased. 
How far this is a serious objection only a trial could determine. The addi- 
tional machinery is A'ery small, and the price of the reaper complete is Ibl., 
which is a moderate sum. 
T. McKenzie and Sons, Dublin, exhibited a mower and reaper knife 
grinder and rest, which was highly commended, consisting of a wooden frame 
supportmg a 22-inch grindstone, with bevelled edges. A crank from the spindle 
of the grindstone propels a reciprocating " Wishatta " stone,' the under surface 
of which has two faces sloping from the centre to fit the angle of the knife. 
The knife is held in position by a pinching-screw, the reciprocating stone is 
worked by a handle. The grindstone acting as a flywheel, any pressure that 
may be required can be applied ; and for such knives as have the blades 
attached to the upper surface of the bar it is an excellent little tool. In addi- 
tion, we find a punch, chisel, file, and hammer supplied for the sum of 3/. 
Thffmas Corbctf, of Shrewsbury, has introduced several improvements into 
the broadcast barrow distributor for clover and grass seeds. Instead of the 
shifting circular plates, with perforations attached to the under side of the box, 
to give more or less feed, we have a slide in two parts, meeting at the centre 
of the box and fixed by a bolt working in a slot of sufl5cient length to allow 
one-half of the drill to be closed, in case at the end of the field a narrow 
portion remains to be sown. Another advantage of the continuous slide is 
the certainty with which the box can be adjusted. The box is hung on 2 iron 
brackets, and is thrown out of gear by elevating the box. Turnips can be 
distributed ; this is effected by extra holes in the slides. Price 51. 10s. 
J. McKenzie's drill for mangold or turnips on the ridge, which was highly 
commended at Manchester, has been considerably improved, and is now com- 
mended for the improvements. The drill consists of 2 sliding barrels on shaft, 
the surface of the barrels having channels of different sizes, according to the 
seed to be sown ; the action depends upon which portion of the baiTcl occu- 
pies the centre of the seed-box. One improvement consists in the substitution 
of springs with stud fitting into gr-ooves on the barrel, in place of a pinching- 
screw ; when the spring is raised, the barrel slides to and fro as required. The 
driving-power is obtained from the rollers, which cover in the seed by means 
of an endless india-rubber round band, working off a pulley on to a grooved 
cone, adjustible for three diiferent speeds. The simplicity of the arrangement 
and the quality of the workmanship renders this a most excellent machine. 
Henry Benton, of Wolverhampton, was commended. for 1477, chain-harrow 
on a carriage — the horse working in shafts, and the harrow, for transit, wound 
round a roller on an axle, which has been considerably improved since Manchester 
principally in the winding being made self-acting by clutch-gearings. When 
the roller is thus connected with the wheel, the horse drawing forward causes 
the harrow to be wound up, an operation which was formerly done by hand. 
The bar at the end of the harrow, to give proper weight to the harrow, is now 
jointed. 
Messrs. Jlolmcs and Sons introduced a novel an-angement iu a corn-elevator. 
