Implement Show at Leicester. 
453 
Class V. — Lkjht-land Ploughs. 
Swing-Ploughs. — Six plouglis in this class were presented, and again the 
crack ploughmen were at their posts. Messrs. Ransome, Howard, Sail and 
Son, Cooke and Co, Ilornsby, and Vickcrs, were the representatives. The con- 
ditions being read over — which were three bouts to get into a depth of five 
inches, six bouts at five inches, and the remainder at six — they started in the 
same field as in the case of the last trial, and about the third part of an acre 
was allotted to each. Evidently depth had great influence upon the i)lough- 
meii's exertions, as they appeared much more comfortable in the execution of 
this work than the former ; but even here also showing how dependent was 
the success of the implement upon the plougluuan's abilities in keeping the 
plough steady, maintaining a uniform depth, and cutting a level bottom. 
Three, viz., Messrs. Ransome, Hornsby, and Howard, were selected for a second 
trial, and to take four bouts at six inches deep. It may be supposed that with 
three such implements, each wielded by the crack ploughman and horses of the 
firm, the work would be wtU done : but it was beyond that, — it was excel- 
lent. However, after applying the test of laying bare the furrows we were 
enabled to decide and make the following awards, viz. : — 
£ 
Messrs. J. and F. Howard (1218) 5 
Messrs. Ransome and Sims (4348) 3 
Commending Messrs. Hornsby aud Sons (1072). 
Class VI. — Subsoil-PlougJis. 
Ten subsoil-ploughs were entered for this class, and the conditions were to go 
one bout at six inches, and one bout at seven inches below the furrow taken out 
in the first instance at a depth of six inches, thereby removing the soil to a 
depth of thirteen inches. So much depended upon the horse-power applied 
that we were somewhat dubious as to the selection we ought to make for a 
second trial. However, we finally fixed upon Messrs. Howard, Ransome, 
Mellard, and the Reading Iron Company. The implements of these firms 
were taken to another field, where the dynamometrical trials were being 
executed by a steam-engine of Messrs. Fowler and Co. This gave us a decided 
advantage in selecting the best implement; for there was no jibbing, no 
kibble-tires breaking, but, on the contrary, one steady pull. If the imple- 
ment could pierce the soil, it was compelled to do so; if defective in con- 
struction, the fact was proved at once. A similar depth of seven inches was taken 
again, below a 6-inch furrow. Two of the implements at once had to succumb 
to the pressure put upon them ; the one broke, and the other would not enter 
the ground at the depth. We had, therefore, to select from the two which 
did superior work, and awarded as follows : — 
£ 
Messrs. J. F. Howard (1240) G 
Messrs. Ransome and Sims (43G4) 4 
Class VII. — Paring-Ploughs. 
There were five entries in this class. As the state of the land was so un- 
suited for paring, owing to its brittle and baked surface, we could not expect to 
see work executed proportionally as well as that before witnessed witli the 
other ploughs. However, under even all difficulties, some of the work was 
very fairly done, and we awarded — 
£ 
Messrs. Ransome and Sims (4358) 6 
Messrs. J. and F. Howard (1214) 4 
Highly commending Messrs. Ball and Son (15G0). 
