at  the  Exeter  Meeting,  1850. 
455 
preparing  for  turning,  is  the  pressing  of  a spring  between  the 
handles,  which  are  turned  over  when  the  spring,  being  self- 
acting, fixes  itself  on  the  opposite  end  of  the  implement,  which 
thus  secures  the  handles  and  prepares  the  plough  for  returning 
alon?  the  same  furrow,  turning  over  the  slice  in  the  same  direc- 
tion  as  before  ; the  alteration  may  be  made  in  a few  seconds,  much 
less  time  than  even  two  active  horses  would  require  for  turning 
into  the  furrow;  the  draught  chain,  as  the  horses  turn,  slides 
along  an  iron  rod  to  the  point  of  draught  required  for  returning. 
R.  Gray  and  Son  of  Glasgow  exhibited  a good  specimen  in 
this  class,  being  simple  in  its  alteration  and  good  in  principle,  but 
it  did  not  work  so  regularly  as  the  one  above  mentioned,  the 
price  also  being  very  great,  viz.,  from  91.  to  10/. 
Most  of  the  others  were  on  a bad  principle,  for  the  land-side, 
after  alteration,  had  to  form  the  turn-board,  and  vice  versa;  and 
a good  “ land-side  ” cannot  be  expected  to  form  a perfect 
“ mould-board,”  nor  can  a well-turned  “ mould-board”  be  trans- 
formed into  a straight  “ land-side.” 
raring -ploughs. — Three  paring  - ploughs  were  thoroughly 
tested  on  Clover  Ley ; the  very  efficient  manner  in  which  the 
one  invented  and  exhibited  bv  Thomas  Glover  of  Thrussington, 
near  Leicester,  performed  the  work,  entitled  it  to  the  award  of 
the  prize.  The  sod  was  pared  at  1 to  2 inches  deep,  as  required. 
The  turf  thus  cut  w as  14  inches  wide.  The  competing  ploughs 
were  inferior,  in  fact  inefficient. 
Subsoil  Pulverizers, — Ten  of  these  wrere  tried  on  the  heavy 
land,  following  in  the  furrows  turned  by  the  heavy-land  ploughs  ; 
the  subsoil  was  free  from  stones,  and  of  a texture  highly  favour- 
able for  the  trial.  For  the  purpose  of  more  accurately  testing 
the  required  power,  the  same  pair  of  horses  were  employed  to 
draw  each  implement ; the  depth  directed  to  be  stirred  was  6 
inches,  but  at  that  depth  the  horses  were  strained,  the  resistance 
being  either  beyond  their  powrer  or  too  great  for  continuous  work. 
T he  depth  was  therefore  varied,  according  to  the  power  required 
to  move  properly  each  implement,  and  the  depth  of  subsoil 
moved  was  accurately  measured.  The  observations  on  trial  proved 
that  How  ard  and  Son’s  improved  “ Read’s  ” plough  worked  as 
easily  at  6 inches  as  others  did  at  3 to  5 inches  : a great  advan- 
tage in  point  of  draught  is  derived  from  Mr.  Howard  having  so 
arranged  the  draught-chain  as  to  enable  two  horses  to  work 
abreast,  whereas  most  of  the  others  created  much  friction  on  the 
land  side  of  the  furrow,  materially  adding  to  the  resistance 
offered.  Another  improvement  is  also  perceived  in  this,  that  the 
hind  part  of  the  beam  being  cranked,  the  mortice  in  which  the 
upright  share  is  fixed  is  nearer  the  ground,  which  gives  strength ; 
consequently  the  prize  was  awarded  to  J.  Howard  and  Son,  of 
Bedfoid. 
