Local agricultural shows were an important forum to exhibit agricultural implements and to provide farmers and other agriculturists with a forum to show the latest developments and what was new. Some shows were also accompanied by trials, which put the latest implements and machines through rigorous work and inspection.
Some of the local shows, such as those in Ayr, Glasgow, and East Lothian, were especially important, with some of the English makers taking a stand and bringing their manufactures to audiences there. They included the show in East Lothian of the United East Lothian Agricultural Society, one of the leading agricultural societies. In 1880, a time of increasing mechanisation, the Show was a large one, with an “excellent and varied” display of implements and machines, including those from English and leading Scottish makers; it also had a trial field.
What could the farmer and agriculturist see at the United East Lothian Agricultural Show? As the show was an important one, extensive accounts of it were published in the local newspaper press and the farming newspapers. The North British Agriculturist, the national farming newspaper, provided an extensive and detailed account of the implement department, which is worth quoting at length in its columns of 1 July 1880:
“While it is noticeable that in every one of the departments of stock at the United East Lothian Show last week there was a gratifying increase in the number of entries, there was a marked falling off in the entry of implements. This circumstance was quite in keeping with what has occurred at not a few recent shows, though, considering the number of gold and silver medals which the society continues to disburse, even after such honorariums have been discarded by other and more pretentious institutions, few were prepared to find the exhibits of implements only 257 as against 447 last year. The award of a few medals will not, it is plain, compensate for a serious depression in trade; and when manufacturers know that the chances of doing business are remote, they are proportionately indifferent about putting in an appearance at district shows. At Prestongrange last week, therefore, only one or two English makers were directly represented, and a mere handful through agents. It need scarcely be added that there was a scarcity of what could be considered “novelties”, though the collection comprised one or two American inventions which are only beginning to be known here, and several implements already familiar to Scotch show-goers were presented in a somewhat altered or improved form. Small as this division of the show was, it contained no little variety; and the incubators showing the chicks making their way out of the shell was quite as much objects of interest as those curious modern mechanisms termed bicycles, on which the farmer of the future may yet be found hurrying to market or fair, more economically than his immediate and less fortunate predecessors. Indeed, special care seemed to have been taken to bring the bicycle as completely as possible under the notice of the farmer, for on the opening day there was a two-mile bicycle race, which called forth seven competitors, and proved a source of interest hardly second to the leaping competitions which were taken part in by three dashing but unsuccessful equestriennes. These innovations, while they no doubt shocked the conservative notions of some, serve nevertheless to popularize an agricultural display; and if they only help to swell the receipts at the gates, they may be deemed useful adjuncts of an exhibition dependent to any extent on public transport.
One of the few novelties amongst implements which attracted the eye of the judges was the Toronto mower exhibited on the stand of Messrs F. R. Muller & Co., Glasgow. This ingenious two-horse machine has been tried in various parts of the country, where it has been preferred in formidable company for simplicity of construction, adaptability for rough and strong as well as level surfaces, and its knives are fitted to work at any angle under the complete control of the driver. The machine is much less intricate its make-up than the ordinary mower, and it is correspondingly light in draught. After a careful inspection of this mechanism, the judges resolved to have it tried in a grass field on Mr Aitken’s farm at Northfield. The combination mower and reaper bearing the same name is highly spoken of. Under the head of novelties may be included an “improved drum and concave for threshing corn”, exhibited by Mr A. Miller, Haddington, and awarded a silver medal. This new apparatus, shown here for the first time, has been designed to effect a saving of driving power with reduced risk of injury to the corn. A fluted concave takes the place of the old cross-bars, and with a wider stretch it gives greater security against breakage.
Messrs Robey & Co., Lincoln, one of the few representatives of England on the ground, were deservedly awarded the gold medal for their display of steam-driven machinery in motion. Their stand included one of the firm’s most recent and popular inventions in the shape of a traction-engine (seven-horse power), fitted with steel boiler and gearing. It may be made to go fast or slow at the will of the driver, and, furnished with 50 yards of steel rope, water-lifter, guide, pulleys, etc, it is a very complete specimen of engineering skill. The same firm’s 4 feet 6 inch threshing and finishing machine, mounted on wrought angle iron frame, and provided with adjustable screen for finishing corn, is also worthy of the Lincoln firm. Specially designed for use in Scotland, and fitted with new arrangement of shakers, this machine merited attention, as did also the straw elevator attached for carrying to a height of twenty-five feet.
Messrs Harrison, McGregor & Co., were not largely represented, but their “Albion” mowers and reapers – victors on many a hard-fought field-attracted as usual a good deal of admiration. These machines have been so often described here and elsewhere that they scarcely need to be more than mentioned. Simplicity of construction and efficiency of workmanship are their distinguishing characteristics. Their new self-acting back-delivery reaper, with five-foot cutting-bar, has been constructed to meet the special requirements of this part of the kingdom, and may be used as a manual-delivery or adjusted for mowing as required. These implements effect a great saving of manual labour.
The ”Scotia” incubators and artificial reapers shown on the stand of Mr Watson, Montgreenan, Kilwinning, attracted notice here as they did it at Ayr and the Edinburgh Christmas Show. They have now been altered in construction, however, the drawer of the incubator being fitted with perforated zinc bottom instead of wood, and so better adapted for retaining the necessary moisture, while tin pans have been provided underneath the egg drawer. Three gallons of water are kept hot by two lamps, one at either end, at the small cost of two gallons of oil in 21 days. Those who may have been impressed with the statement that the American chicken king makes a profit of £16,000 per annum, should be encouraged to think that by incubation 80 per cent of the eggs are successful examples of artificial hatching, while the rearers bring up lively birds. Mr Watson’s exhibits, alike from their moderate price and the results to be achieved, deserved perhaps more attention that they received.
Mr Thomas Hunter, Maybole, was strongly represented as usual with his now well-known implements, including his Highland Society gold medal self-acting turnip topping and tailing machine, for single and double drill; zig-zag harrows with “wedge” tine fasting, giving greater strength without adding to the weight; brake-harrows, with handles, etc. Mr Hunter’s collection was awarded one of the society’s gold medals. A like honour was bestowed. On the well0filled stand of Mr S. Dodds, Haddington, who exhibited the products of some of the foremost makers, including Messrs Hornsby, Messrs Picksley, Sims & Co., Mr Walter A. Wood, and Messrs Ransome, Sims, & Co., of Ipswich. The other recipients of gold medals were Mr Hislop, Haddington, whose new covered shooting-cart arrested attention, and Messrs G. & W. Porteous, Haddington, who exhibited a stand of waggons, etc, displaying finished workmanship and good design.
Mr W. Sinton, Jedburgh, showed his invincible churns, which together with a variety of useful dairy utensils were awarded a silver medal; and a like award was made to Mr A. Gilchrist, Edinburgh, for a collection of articles for domestic use. Mr Aitchison, of Princes Street, Edinburgh, was to the fore with a brilliant display of jewellery, silver cups, etc, and to this tastefully arranged stand was awarded a silver medal. Messrs T. Sherriff & Co., Dunbar, exhibited a varied collection of highly approved implements which have already won trophies in showyard competition. The British Sanitary Co. exhibited a number of self-acting earth-closets and a sheep-dip easily soluble in water. They also received a silver medal, as did Mr R. Paxton, Pinkerton, for a combined potato plough with swan-necked beam on wheels, exhibited at Dunbar. The Messrs M. & J. Craig, Stewarton, again showed their improved washer and wringer of silver medal at Dunbar. The Messrs Proctor, Mauchline, had entered amongst other interesting articles their Dumfries premium combined reaper and mower.
Messrs Pringle & Co., Edinburgh, were forward with an attractive display, not the least conspicuous being their specimens of galvanized sheep wire-netting. Mr R. Wallace, Whitletts, Ayr, showed his reapers and mowers, and an improved potato digger, with improved leverage for altering depth of sock and grapes. Messrs Brigham & Co., Berwick-on-Tweed, had a small but attractive representation of approved implements. The Messrs Jack of Maybole were represented by the Caledonian “Buckeye” combined reaper and mower, and a self-acting back delivery machine, which was favourably noticed at Ayr and Glasgow. A silver medal was awarded to Mr A. Renton, Longniddry, for an ingenious machine for cutting drills of strawberries; and Mr W. Gow, Glasgow, obtained similar recognition for a display of neatly designed butter prints.
Mr Richardson, Carlisle, was represented by his winnower, which formerly secured the East Lothian gold medal; and among the few other noteworthy exhibits was a ten-drill horse-hoe for weeding grain, exhibited by Mr A. Brown, Lennie Park.
The judges of implements were: Messrs Alexander Henderson, Longniddry; J. Wyllie, Innerwick; P . B. Swinton, Gifford; Hugh Elder, East Bearford; and W. S. Macdonald, Craigielaw.”
