468 Miscellaneous Implements Exhibited at Cambridge. 
is to some extent fulfilled — viz. to encourage men of science in 
their attention to the improvement of agricultural machinery.” 
If this were true fifty years ago, how considerably the truth is 
now emphasised could only have been realised to the full by 
those who were fortunate enough to make the survey of the 
magnificent machinery exhibited at the Royal Show of 1894. 
According to a very competent authority, the total value of 
implements now exhibited annually is 20,000k, and the total 
annually manufactured beyond 3,000,000k ; “ the larger, but 
unascertainable, portion of the machines representing this sum 
being exported.” 
The competition which British farmers have had to combat 
has produced this comparatively new industry of agricultural 
mechanics. What the British farmer has lost has been gained 
to some extent by the mechanician ; but what he might have 
lost has, by the mechanician’s skill and industry, and never- 
failing progress towards perfection, been saved to him. It may 
be said that British agricultural implement-makers export ma- 
chines to most of the corn-growing countries, lightening man’s 
labour, increasing the productiveness of the soil, cheapening 
the price of daily necessaries, and proving that the fierce com- 
petition which led to the production of labour-saving machinery 
has been to mankind, if not to the great majority of agricul- 
turists themselves, an unmitigated blessing. 
There was a great dearth of novelty in the implements 
entered at Cambridge for the Society’s Silver Medals, some of 
the so-called “ new ” machines being revivals of old principles 
in altered forms. There were also some undisguisedly old ; 
and there were too many of a trivial character, and these, appa- 
rently, entered but for one purpose — to secure the advertisement 
afforded by the Society’s Catalogue. 
There were a number of potato-gathering implements which 
appeared not only novel and ingenious, but also of a practical cha- 
racter, though it was impossible to adequately test their practi- 
cability as there were no crops sufficiently forward for the 
purpose. It would be well if a proper opportunity for trials 
could be afforded at some early date. 
Awards of Silver Medals. 
Altogether 115 implements were entered as “ new,” but 99 
only were exhibited ; and of the Silver Medals at the disposal of 
the Judges they were able to award only two. They consider that 
the Silver Medal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England 
should not be won except upon display of undoubted novelty, 
