Implement Show at Leicester. 
487 
never were such (hanks more deserved than on the ]irescnt occasion. It v> as 
quite evident that the geiitk-men in office considered their position as no sine- 
cure, hut as one involving grave responsihilities, which tliey ably discharged. 
To Mr. Amos, tlie Society's Engineer, and to his son, Mr. J. Amos, who co- 
operated with him, we are also much indebted for cordial assistance on all 
occasions, 'i'o K.xhibitors and to their agents we offer our thanks iox tlicir 
courtesy and willingness to oblige: this was very marked througliout. If there 
were a tendency on one or two occasions to be somewhat obtrusive, and to 
become suggestive, it was easily accounted for by the extreme anxiety on the 
part of agents for the interests of their employers. We may be allowed to 
confiiTU a suggestion made in the Newcastle IJeport respecting the trials of im- 
plements for steam-power, viz., that they shall be arranged to take place at 
the earlier part of the time before the public crowd upon the Judges and con- 
siderably hinder the work. It would also be desirable to limit the attendance 
npon each implement to the maker or agent, and the workmen, and to keep 
every one else outside the ropes. The public can learn little or nothing whilst 
the-dynamomctrical tests are in progress, and the work is much expedited when 
the course is clear. 
We think the Royal Agricultural Society may fairly congratulate itself on 
having largely assisted in establishing steam-culture in this country, and by 
its example in several foreign countries, to the great and lasting benefit of man- 
kind ; for it is greatly owing to the course followed by the Society in trying 
and proving all machines tlidt in any way promise a chance of success in any 
branch of agi'iculture, that the breaking down of old prejudices and the early 
distribution of the knowledge of practical facts is due ; and the enlightened 
advocacy by the Society of all sound improvements in agricultural machinery 
has greatly encouraged implement-makers and inventors to persevere with every 
good and promising scheme, as they have felt that although they might expect 
no favour, they were at all times certain of a fair field. Thus the steady pro- 
motion of improvements has undoubtedly been secured in the safest manner. 
The special means adopted in the appointment of Inspection Committees for 
the purpose of sifting statements and accumulating facts specially affecting 
steam-cultivation, and the placing them prominently before agriculturists (who 
might in many cases have some difficulty in collecting and comparing state- 
ments for themselves) has greatly tended to promote sound views on the 
subject, and thereby necessarily to extend the application of machinery of the 
best kinds, and thus enable all to reap the benefits to be derived from the prac- 
tical application of modern science and practice. 
It is now a I'act, and we trust that this Eeport may have some practical 
effect in making it known through the length and breadth of the land, that a 
farmer (or small club of farmers) may at an outlay of 1284Z. become possessed 
of the most improved direct tackle, capable of conveying itself to the field to 
be ploughed or cultivated, and in three minutes from the moment of its arrival 
may be ploughing or cultivating at such speed as will complete a field of nine 
or ten acres in ten hours ; or should such outlay be considered too great in 
certain cases, then nearly the same rate of cultivation may be attained with 
another set of direct tackle, costing 708?., though in this case some time would 
be lost in fixing the tackle ; or if a farmer has only a small farm of say 250 
acres, and possesses a common portable engine, he may for an outlay of 2.50Z., 
equal to a pound per acre, acquire a set of roundabout tackle that will enable 
him with his engine to cultivate at a somewhat less rate than above named, 
though he would in this case have to use his horses to take the engine and 
tackle to their place, in the same way that he would have to do if required to 
take the engine and thrashing-machine to a stack of wheat to thrash. 
As tliis country has ever taken the lead in developing manufactures and 
