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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
lias been accomplished; and now, ere we have even finished 
with the steam -plough, our remarks must be brought to a close. 
We have yet to notice the methods of steam-culture advocated 
by Mr. Smith, the brothers Howard, Romaine, Halkett ; indeed, 
Mr. Fowler is scarcely done with, for no allusion has been made 
to the manner in which he adapts his apparatus, by means of a 
fixed windlass, to the requirements of those who do not wish 
to purchase a new engine specially designed to work the endless 
rope. But, in this particular, he has some decided improve- 
ments to show at the Battersea meeting, which, with other 
inventions, may well form the subject of our next communication. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXII. 
Fig. 1. The boundaries of a ten-acre field or plot of land are here repre- 
sented. The 'plough begins at one corner of the field on the side 
opposite to the engine, and plies its course, taking four furrows 
forwards and four backwards between the anchorages, which 
are gradually advancing to the pulleys. When these are on a line 
with the windlass, the apparatus can be moved round to cul- 
tivate a similar plot on the other side of the engine, a hedgerow 
affording no obstruction to the passage of ropes. 
Fig. 2. The following is an explanation of the automatic contrivance for 
gathering up the slack rope without loss of time. Two small 
drums, a and h, are mounted upon the plough frame, near 
the middle, the ends of the two wire ropes being wound several 
times round each, so as to allow of being paid out in case of a 
lengthening furrow, or gathered up for shorter work. Suppose the 
plough to be going in the direction of the arrow, the rope c will be 
the pulling rope, and d the trailing or slack rope. At starting, the 
rope c causes the drum a to revolve ; by means of an endless pitch- 
chain this drives the pinion e on the axis of the drum b, winch rotating 
with a velocity five times greater than that of the drum a, gathers 
up the slack rope d until the whole of the endless rope up and 
down the field is tight, when the rope c can no longer cause the 
drum a to revolve, and the plough consequently begins to move 
forward. In returning, d will be the pulling rope and c the slack ; 
and by another pitch-chain the drum b must drive the pinion / on 
the axis of the chum a, so as to gather up the rope c. In order, 
therefore, to disconnect the pinion e from the drum b, and to con- 
nect the pinion / with the drum a, ratchet-clutches are employed, 
and these are ingeniously regulated as follows. Each pinion is held 
in clutch with its respective chum by a spiral spring upon the axis ; 
but by a simple movement the clutch is released by depressing the 
seat at that end upon which the ploughman rides to steer the 
implement. Thus when the plough is proceeding in the direction 
