Description of Swath Turners. 
125 
crop, should have the prominent place on the list of points, and 
that the other conditions should be given vai-ying positions. 
Leaving out Messrs. Jack’s entry and Messrs. Martin’s, No. 2528, 
the trials were practically between three entries of Messrs. 
Martin’s, 2530, 2532, and 2534, and two of Messrs. Blackstone’s, 
3676 and 3677. 
Excellent work as regards turning was done by Messrs. 
Martin’s 2534 and Messrs. Blackstone’s 3676 and 3677, although 
at times 2534 showed a tendency to roll the swaths in the same 
way that 2530 and 2532 did in such a marked degree. There 
was much about the machine and its work that took the fancy 
of the Judges, and although gaining marks as regards weight 
and draft, it lost as regards adaptability for windrowing, ridge 
and furrow work, &c. This machine (2534) also has the advan- 
tage of the seat for the driver being carried behind the axles, 
so that, as in Messrs. Blackstone’s machines, the driver can see 
the work going on and control it accordingly. 
Messrs. Martin’s other machines (2530 and 2532) both rolled 
the swath, leaving it ropey, and not nicely lightened up for the 
air to get through. As Mr. Martin assures me all his machines 
are, as regards the turning mechanism, height, &c., identical, I 
can only at,tribute the marked difference in the work done by 
2534 to the fact of the fore carriage being carried on a small 
wheel, thus ensuring steadier motion than when dependent on 
the action of a horse. Messrs. Blackstone’s 3676 gave an 
excellent account of itself, losing, however, a little as regards 
weight and draft in comparison with 2534. The work done 
was excellent. The swaths were well turned, left light, and in 
just the condition one could wish. 
A word about the other two machines of Messrs. Martin’s. 
No. 2530, adapted for ridge and furrow. This, except for the 
worst fault of all, “ rolling the swath,” which one cannot help 
feeling might be obviated, negotiated the ridge and fui-rows 
well, and the spring stop arrangement, by which the height of 
the rear wheels is adjusted, is simple and handy. The triplex, 
2532, may take the fancy of some. The swaths werp rolled 
in the same way as by the ridge and furrow machine, and 
the third turner evidently put a stress on the horses’ shoulder 
on that side, which is a disadvantage, although perhaps 
not very apparent if the machine was only worked for a 
few hours. 
Dynamometer tests on the following day brought the 
Swath Turner trials to a close. The Judges unhesitatingly 
awarded the first prize to Messrs. Blackstone’s No. 3676, which 
in addition to doing excellent work, fulfilled every require- 
ment, the second prize going to Messrs. Blackstone’s No. 3677, 
Messrs. Martin’s No. 2534 being third. 
