, 1880-08-25

"a UGIu tKIHl Vi tUC DSfDv dugIu6,
we can describe in a few words what it is like
and what measure of success appears in it's per-
formauce. A working model of the machine
as originally designed appeared at the Smith
field Club Castle Show in 1877; a full-sized
engine which had been tested over a hundred
acres of digging was exhibited at the next
Show in 1878; and at Kilburn last year it was
seen in a heavier and more impracticab,e.look
ing form than ever. But Mr.. Darby, after
much experience in the field, has re-designed
the whole apparatus; and the working parts
are so simplifed that persons who wondered at
tbs first combination of hu &c forks, levers, and
eccentrics, wonld now scarcely recognize the
invention 10 its present guise. Besides, the
whole of the details of construction have been
thoroughly we'll worked out for strength with
lightness by the makers, Messrs. J. and 81.
McLaren, of the Midland Engine Works,
Leeds The "prinoiple" of the machine is as
~follows-applying the motive power at the
point where the work is, involving the employ
ment of an engine travelling upon the land with
the tilling apparatus following; effectiog the
cultivation by direot-acting tines or blades,
instead l. of by the wedge-and-twist action of the
plougbshare and mouldboard utilizing the
thrust of the tools il a backward direction to
aid the propulsion of the engine forward and
taking a great breadth at once with q slow rate
of advance, in order to transport the engine
over the ground as seldom as possible in pro-
portion to the area of work done. Width is
obtained by making the boiler, which serves as
the base for the supporting brackets and FRAN
ing, about lift, long; this being accomplished
10 the case Of the present eight-horse power
boiler by placing the fire box 10 the middle.
with a tubular boiler, extending right and left
to two smoke boxes and tunnels, one at each
end. One advantage of this arrangement is
that, on sloping ground, the water always
maintains the same level over the crown OF the
fre-box and, when the tubes at the highest
end are left above the water, burning is pre-
vented BY simply diverting the exhaust steam
and consequently the whole draught, from the
fire to the lower end of the boiler where the
tubes are covered by the water. The engine
rests upon four wheels, set transversely under
the boiler, so that the direction OF progress Is
broadside-on !; the equilibrium of the machine
being maintained by a frame projecting 10 the
rear and running upon a number OF cutting
discs, which as they roll subdivide the pieces
of soil delivered from the digging forks. Three
huge forks suspended from a craDk-shaft
mounted behind the boiler operate upon a
breadth of 20ft. at Oh ce, these forks measuring
6dft. apiece in width, and successfully striking
the ground after the manner of a three-throw
pump, Each fork rises and falls Lit. and is
canted backward a distance of 2ft.. the sod or
slice dug off from the whole ground being
deposited at the back of an open trench or
furrow and turned over, so that the race OF
stubble or sward rests against the back OF the
preceding slice. The process has been dcs-
oribed as ploughing so m'ny sections OF turro|
about lift. long, but cutting and turning them
over crosswise instead of leugthwlse the &C.
ton thus being direct, and the power applied
in the plane Of movement Of the slice, instead
of at right angles to the plane OF movement as
in ploughing. The operation, as we saw 1t 10
q stiff, moist soil, is thoroughly effected; The
slices are severed and lifted, leaving a furrow
bottom level; and instead OF the pieces faiing
irregularly or exposing heritage on the surface.
the inversion is as complete as 10 ordinary
ploughing-with the exception OF the edge
which, in the best ~ploughing upon grass or lea'
is turned under by employing a skim coulter
The remarkable feature 10 the performance
is that a single-cylinder engine of S-horse pow
or nominal. working with 70lb. pressure OF
steam. digs, at the rate of ten acres per Gay,
land that takes three horses to plough an acre
per day at the same depth. The problem OF
this extraordinary economy of power is for
engineers to study. The inventor clslms that
bis method of severing and turning over Che
spit or slice approximately engages the amount
of motive power which theory assigns 10 inc
work, avoiding the great loss by fricton ana
cohesion of wet sticky earth upon q piougnl
share and mouldboard. He claims also that
the diggers in penetrating the ground ease the
wo;ohf Of tho enoine to q considerable extent