OTHER

LIVE STOCK

of the apparatus, and is kept in place by 16 metal cords affixed to the framework. The mechanism which works the apparatus consists of a motor feeder, and a compressor of sufficient power, used to pump the air into the accumulator. The latter, which has an indiarubber tube fitted with a tap, is attached to the raising receptacle of the apparatus.

The apparatus descends on closing the tap which admits the air, and on opening the one which allows the air to escape. The special arrangement for the vertical descent and oblique ascent of the apparatus consists of small wooden regulators placed on the principal base framework.

The apparatus can be constructed on a small or large scale, and fishing can be done at great or small depths. For fishing with this apparatus, a motor boat of about 10 H. P. is necessary; part of this force is used for compressing the air. In order to raise the automatic fisher, when once it has descended to the bottom, it suffices to subject the air in the receptacle for ascending to a pressure exceeding that of the water at this depth. The apparatus, while ascending, can be dragged by the boat (by means of the rope by which it is attached to the latter) in such a way that it can assume at will a vertical or oblique position.

The fisher is so balanced that, in spite of its weight of about 10 tons and its surface of 1100 sq. yds. it floats perfectly, raising the bags of the nets above the water and allowing the boats to pass between these to see whether any fish have been caught, and remove the spoils, if the nets are full.

The apparatus was successfully tested in the Lake of Zurich and the inventor is making a second of 840 sq. yds. in size, with only four bags, which he intends trying in the Mediterranean.

The cost of the automatic fisher is about £320 and together with the motor boat, the whole price would amount to £800.

722

Actinomycosis of Prussian Carp. PLEHN, MARIANNE in Allgemeine Fischerei Zeitung, Year 38, No. 9, pp. 222-224. Munich, May 1, 1913.

The writer describes in the text, and with the help of illustrations, a new chronic fish disease, actinomycosis, due to a fungus. The latter attacks Prussian carp (Carassius Carassius), producing abscesses in the kidneys or other internal organs. The external symptoms of the disease are the sluggish movements and the swelling of the body of the fish.

723

The Effect of X-Rays upon the Development of the Ovary of the Rabbit, REGAUD and LACASSAGNE in Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de la Société de Biologie, Vol. 74, No. 11, pp. 601-604. Paris, March 21, 1913.

The writers tried the effect of the X-rays upon several rabbits' ovaries and found, upon examining the latter some hours later, that the follicle cells had been injured. The stronger the X-rays used, the more the follicle cells were harmed. A fortnight after the ovaries had been exposed to the rays, all the follicles, with the exception of some small primordial cells invisible to the naked eye, had disappeared. With the disappearance of the follicles, the activity and formation of the interstitial glands of the follicle capsules decreased. About 3 months after the X-ray treatment, the writers observed a new formation of the glands on the surface of the

ovary, but they were much less active than before. The follicle cells which remained unharmed gradually grew to normal and abnormal Graafian follicles within 6 months. The former gave rise to ova, which were capable of fertilization and produced normal offspring. The writer observed no fresh formation of ova, nor any reappearance of follicles which had disappeared on exposure to the X-rays.

724

FARM ENGINEERING.

New Cultivator. Wiener Landwirtschaftliche Zeitung, Year 63, No. 26, p. 310. Vienna, March 29, 1913.

This new cultivator consists of a three-wheeled carriage, supporting an adjustable frame containing tines similar to those carried by extirpators. The depth of the tines can be adjusted up to 7 1/4 inches. Behind these tines there are four adjustable disks intended to break up the soil loosened by the tines. If these disks are not suitable to some kinds of soil they can be replaced by a toothed harrow. As this implement works a strip 16 feet wide at a time, and can be quickly drawn by the smallest steam ploughing engine, the amount of work it can do is very considerable. It is especially adapted for paring a field after the harvest and for loosening and preparing for sowing fields that have been deeply ploughed before the winter, or that have borne potatoes or beets.

725 - Trials of Mechanical Ploughing Tackle at Sétif and Maison-Carrée (Algeria), MARMU, M. in Bulletin de la Société d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale, Year 112, First Half-year, No. 1, Vol. 119, pp. 147-157. Paris, January 1913.

These trials lasted from May 26 to June 12, 1912, and were held partly at Sétif and partly at Maison-Carrée. The following five machines were sent to be tested.

The C. I. M. A. tractor (Titan).

The Avery tractor.

Landwin's agricultural motor.

The tractor of the Case Co. (a French firm).

J. and H. Maclaren's tractor.

The article contains tables giving the dimensions and characteristics of the machines, as well as the amount of force required for the work done, the time required, the depth and width of the ploughing and the amount of fuel used.

These trials did not give the expected results, for the nature of the soil to be ploughed had not been taken into account in the construction of the machines. The commission are of opinion that tractors with explosion motors cannot be introduced into North Africa until the taxes on motor spirit and petrol are reduced.

AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERY

AND

IMPLEMENTS

726 - The Use of Mechanical Power in Agriculture (1). SCHWANECKE, H. K. in Fühlings Landwirtschaftliche Zeltung, Year 62, Parts 7 and 8, pp. 242-272 and 286-306. Stuttgart, April 1 and 15, 1913.

After some preliminary remarks on the most important power-driven agricultural machines, the writer compares the various systems of mechanical ploughing from the points of view which have the greatest interest for farmers, such as cost of installation, weight of the principal parts, performance, number of hands and team required, saving of teams and of working expenses, utilisation of the motor for other objects.

In the second part of the paper he treats of transport machines and especially of field railways and motor waggons.

727 - Electricity and Agriculture.

KOPPEL, R. in Monatshefte für Landwirtschaft,

Year VI, Part 4, pp. 97-110. Vienna, April 1913.

The writer gives a very instructive review of the present state of the application of electricity to agriculture. After introductory remarks on the cost of electric motor power and on the approximate amount of power required by the most commonly used agricultural machines (threshing machines, electric milkers, cereal cleaners, scutching and shearing machines), he discusses electric incubators and brooders.

The writer then considers tilling by electricity and its economy, and gives an example of the total cost of such an installation.

After a brief mention of recent experiments on radio-activity, the paper concludes with remarks on the production of electricity.

728 - Agricultural Machines at the Machine Exhibition in Paris in 1913. COUPAN. G. in La Vie Agricole et Rurale, Year 2, No. 18, pp. 485-493. Paris. April 5, 1913.

The writer gives a detailed description and diagrams of some of these machines for working the ground, which are distinguished by innovations and improvements. He mentions Massignon's subsoil plough, Bajac's draining plough, Letroteurs' balance plough and also Bajac's balance ploughs. Machines for mechanical ploughing are also described, such as the steam ploughing engine of the "Société Française de matériel agricole et industriel", the Avery, Fowler and Doizy tractors, the Stock motor plough and others.

729

Motor Power Cultivation with only one Winding Drum. RINGELMANN, M. in Bulletin de la Société d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie naționale, Year 112, 1st Half-Year, Vol 119, No. 2, pp. 352-357. Paris, February 1913.

The writer describes and illustrates the machines of E. Kuntz and of A. Bajac which were exhibited at machine shows in Paris and explains their working.

730 The Mesmay Tractor. DE CONDÉ, F. in Bulletin de la Société d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale, Year 112, First Half-year, Vol. 119, No. 2, pp. 350-352. Paris, February 1913.

A description, with figures, of the Mesmay tractor, together with an account of its performance at the Bourges trials.

(1) See No. 400, B. April 1913.

(Ed.).

731

New Patents for Agricultural Machines and Implements.

53 969,45a (Austria). Motor plough.

58 976,454 (Austria). Motor plough, in which the revolving driving pawl moves in a

fixed guide.

59 532, 45 a (Austria).

59 539, 45 a (Austria).

Outfit for double engine system of ploughing.

Motor plough with vertically adjustable steering wheel, provided

with a coulter flange, running on the unploughed land.

59 537, 45 a (Austria). Apparatus for tilling the soil, with revolving disks mounted obliquely on a shaft.

59 331,2 a (Switzerland). Automatic device for turning and fixing the working parts of multiple ploughs.

450 965 (France). Fore-carriage for ploughs, on two or three wheels, with the beam below the axle of the side wheels.

451 372 (France). Implements for motor ploughs.

259 163, 45 a (Germany). Apparatus running on rails, especially turn-wrest plough for market gardens.

259 165, 45 a (Germany). Subsoil loosener for ploughs.

259 083, 45 a (Germany). Hoeing outfit for tilling machines, with hoes fastened by means of intermediate parts to separate disks.

259 085, 45 a (Germany). Apparatus for tilling the soil with several implements mounted on a revolving axle and working successively.

259 260, 45 a (Germany). Motor plough with driving wheel running in the furrow behind the plough shares.

2057 (England). Self-propelled tractor.

16 160 (England). Power-driven tillage machine.

4930 (England). Motor plough.

1 056 532 (United States). Plough lift for gang ploughs.

1 056 531 (United States). Plough lift for gang ploughs.

58 970, 45 a (Austria). Spring-tooth cultivator, with teeth working in the wheel ruts.

59 587, 2 a) (Switzerland). Cylinder for field and pasture rollers.

59 332, 2 a (Switzerland). Ribbed roller clod-crusher.

1056 514 (United States). Rotary harrow.

450 871 (France). Apparatus for cleaning rotary harrows.

58 975, 45 a (Austria). Manure coverer for ploughs, which by a swinging movement removes the manure from the coulter and share-point.

59 269,45 a (Austria). Manure distributor for machine dibbles.

259 261, 45 b (Germany). Multiple-furrow potato-planter, with chain of cups under hopper. 1898 (England). Drill for turnip and other seeds.

58 967, 45 b (Austria). Grass mower with reaping attachment.

58 973, 45 b (Austria). Machine for binding straw, hay, etc.

59 400, 45 b (Austria). Apparatus for lowering the sheaves, in reapers.

59 792,2 c (Switzerland). Cutting apparatus for mowers and reapers.

451 537 (France). Reaper.

2854 (England). Mowing machine.

1056 122 (United States). Mower attachment.

259 386, 45 c (Germany). Mower with vertically adjustable finger disk and horizontally revol

ving knives and carrier arms.

BUILDINGCONSTRUCTION

59 412, 45 b (Austria). Potato lifter, hay tedder or swath turner with throw wheel, the teeth of which are driven by planet gearing with centre wheel mounted on elastic supports.

59 474, 45 b (Austria). Potato lifter with apparatus for depositing crop.

59 558, 2 c (Switzerland). Drum hay tedder with excentric gearing for the tine shafts. 451 673 (France). Hay rake.

1 056 665 (United States). Grain harvester.

59 266,45 b (Austria). Apparatus for cleaning seeds and the like, with endless screens placed over each other.

59 535, 45 b (Austria). Straw elevator.

732 Helm's Automatic Feeder (1). — Illustrierte Landwirtschaftliche Zeitung, Year 33, No. 33, p. 218. Berlin, March 19, 1913.

With the apparatus shown in the annexed figure there is no danger that the pigs can soil their food. The feeding troughs are closed on both sides by iron covers (b) which have to be raised by the pigs when they take their

food; (a) is a moveable cover; (c) the adjusting lever, and (d) the shaft with chains for moving the boards. This automatic feeder is refilled every five days with the required amount of food.

733

An Apparatus for Drying Cotton. The Agricultural News, Vol. XI, No. 278 p. 403. Barbados, December 21, 1912.

The accompanying photographs (1) show a new apparatus for cotton drying, which differs in its system from those hitherto used for the purpose in St. Vincent by its simplicity and the ease by which drying operations can be effected even during wet weather. The system was devised by Mr. C. O. Hazell, of St. Vincent and comprises a drying rack on wheels. The cars can be moved easily; their length is 13 ft., their width 3 ft. 7 in., and their height 8 ft. 4 in. They hold seven trays each 5 inches deep running the whole

(1) For experiments in feeding with automatic distributors see No. 1606, B. Dec.

1912; No. 283, B. March 1913; and No. 715 above.

(Ed.).

(1) These were kindly placed at our disposal by Mr. W. N. Sands.

(Ed.).