AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER, OF SPITTLEGATE WORKS, GRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE. If undeviating integrity, earnestness of intention, | Mr. Hornsby is both Lincolnshire born and bred. and a thorough knowledge of his profession should We have to go so far back as the summer of 1790 bring success, Mr. Hornsby has surely earned his for the time of his birth-on rather a memorable reward. One is at a loss which to admire the more, day at that period, being no other than the fourth the genuine straight-forward character of the man of June, the birth-day of good King George himhimself, or the excellence of those inventions with self. The Hornsbys then farmed at Elsham, near which his name is identified. But, after all, one Brigg, where the son continued until his fifteenth is only the reflection of the other. We see in the year. He was at best but a delicate boy ;a nd, good, sound, durable machinery that Hornsby and much against his friends' inclination, who would Sons send out, how the spirit of the master-mind have preferred his adopting some less laborious has been employed upon them. From him the pursuit, bound himself apprentice, in 1805, to Mr. whole works take their tone. There shall be no- Havercroft, a wheelwright at Barnetby-le-Wold. thing here but what is honestly fitted for its pur- His new master shared the fears of his own relapose. Turning neither to the right nor the left, tions as to his ever being able enough for such uninfluenced by any other consideration, the aim work, remarking, on first seeing him, that "he of the House has been to supply the farmer with looked far more like filling a coffin than making those implements really best adapted for his use. one." The choice, however, was a good one. The This is now, and indeed has long been, well known; pursuit agreed with him, and in five years' time he and we but echo the opinion of the whole country left Barnetby a hale, hearty man. when we say, there are no people with whom a man can deal with more confidence than with the Hornsby's of Grantham. This firm has now been established as that of The county, however, has an equal claim to him. Mr. Hornsby turned his steps towards Grantham, where he quickly engaged himself with one Mr. Seaman, of the Spittle or Hospital Gate. The latter had discrimination enough to appreciate the value of his young workman. On the first of January, 1815, a business was opened under the title of "Seaman and Hornsby, Makers of Horse Thrashing Machines, &c., &c." The firm prospered, and in eleven years from this time we find Mr. Hornsby entering into a partnership of a yet more agreeable character. In a word, his marriage further settled him as a Grantham man, while but two years more found him with the works altogether under his own control. In the December of 1828. Mr. Seaman retired with a competency, and the business was known henceforth as that of Hornsby's solely. The success of the House may be dated from this period. It was in Mr. Hornsby's hands that the trade gradually extended, and its repute proportionably increased. It was under his immediate From this it is but an inspection that the machinery, for which they are still so famous, was first tried. It was with his imprimatur that the horse thrashing-machines* bowed to the power of steam; that the drills (first made here in 1815) were improved, and the dressingmachines were perfected. old story of well-merited distinction, with the old moral of going again to those who use you the best. Public and private experience have alike confirmed this; and the Hornsbys have never received a premium or an order but that they deserved it. Let their long ranges of workshops, and their hundreds of men in them, speak to the latter; while for the former we have some as readily available proof. For their Improved Patent Portable Steam Engines they have been awarded: At the Imperial Royal Agricultural Society of Austria, at Vienna, May, 1857, the Gold Medal. At the Hungarian Agricultural Society, at Pesth, June, 1857, the highest Diploma of Merit. At the Universal Agricultural Exposition, Paris, 1856, the First Prize of £24 and Gold Medal, for the best Portable Steam Engine for Agricultural Purposes. At the Universal Exposition at Paris, 1855, the Medal of Honour, for the best Portable Steam Engine. At the Great Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations, held at the Crystal Palace, Hyde Park, London, July, 1851, for the best Portable Steam Engine for Agricultural Purposes, the First Prize or Council Medal. By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, Boston, August, 1855 £ s. 20 0 ..... By the Selby and Tadcaster Agricultural By the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at York, August, 1853 .. By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Gainsborough, July, 1853...... By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Gloucester, July, 1853 By the Bath and West of England Agricul. tural Society, at Plymouth, June, 1853.... By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Lewes, July, 1852..... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Horncastle, July, 1852 .......... By the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at Sheffield, August, 1852 By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Lincoln, July, 1848 20 0 For the Patent Combined Thrashing, Shaking, and Pressing Machine : At the Universal Exposition at Paris, 1855, the Medal of Honour. By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, 5 0 10 0 at Carlisle, July, 1855, the First Prize of.... 20 0 By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Boston, August, 1855, the First Prize of.. By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Lincoln, July, 1854, the First Prize of .. By the Selby and Tadcaster Agricultural Society, at Selby, July, 1854, the First Prize of By the Herts Agricultural Society, at Hertford, October, 1854, the First Prize of.. By the Northamptonshire Agricultural Society, at Oundle, Sept., 1853, the First Prize of .. By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Gainsborough, July, 1853, the First Prize of By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Horncastle, July, 1852, the First Prizes, amounting to 20 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 26 0 By the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at Sheffield, August, 1852, the First Prize of 10 0 By the Highland Society of Scotland, at Glasgow, August, 1857, the First Prize of...... 10 0 For Patent Drills of kind every : 10 0 By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Salisbury, July, 1857 20 0 For the best drill for general purposes 5 0 For the best turnip, seed, and manure drill.... 5 0 5 0 For the best corn drill 2 0 At the Universal Agricultural Exposition at Paris, 12 10 June, 1856, for the best drill for general purposes, the First Prize of £10, and the Gold Medal; for the best corn and seed drill, the First Prize of £10, and the Gold Medal. 20 0 10 0 At the Universal Exposition at Paris, 1855, the Medal of Honour, for the best corn and seed drill, and for 15 0 the best drill for general purposes. 40 0 7 0 15 0 By the Royal North Lancashire Agricultural * In 1830, the labourers of Lincolnshire conceived a violent dislike to these horse-thrashing machines, and traversed the country in mobs, destroying them. The farmers became much alarmed, and Mr. Hornsby's yards were filled with such implements, consigned by them to his care. His premises consequently became a mark for the rioters; but they were never attacked, as the men, having gained their point with the masters, went back to work with the flail. In a very short time they again revolted, or, rather, asked as a favour that the thrashing-machines might be brought back! From that day their use was everywhere recognised, until in turn they had to succumb to steam-power. At the Great Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, held at the Crystal Palace, Hyde-park, London, 1851, for the best corn and seed drill, the Great Council Prize Medal; for the best turnip and manure drill for either ridges or flat ground, the Great Prize Medal. For the best drop Drill for depositing turnip or mangold wurtzel seed at any required intervals, and in any given quantity, the Great Prize Medal. By the Royal Agricultural Society of England at Carlisle, July, 1855:£ s. 10 0 For the best corn and turnip Drill For the best Drill for turnips and manure, on the flat..... For the best Drill for turnips and manure, on the ridge. ..... 10 0 With other similar prizes at earlier meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society, as well as at the Yorkshire, West of England, and others. For Corn-dressing Machines: The Medal of Honour at the Universal Expo- £ s. sition at Paris. By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at By the Bath and West of England Agricultural .... 0 10 50 3 0 5 0 2 10 20 2 0 5 0 3 0 1 10 0 By the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society, at Bath, June, 1854, the first prize of 5 0 By the Selby and Tadcaster Agricultural Society, at Selby, July, 1854, first prize of..... By the Great Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at Ripon, August, 1854, first prize of............ By the Herts Agricultural Society, at Hertford, October, 1854, first prize of By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Gloucester, July, 1853, the first prize of By the Bath and West of England Agri. Society, at Plymouth, June, 1853, the first prize of.... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Gainsborough, July, 1855, the first prize of By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Lewes, July, 1852, first prize of.... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Horncastle, July, 1852, the first prize of By the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at Sheffield, August, 1852, the first prize of.... By the Royal North Lancashire Agri. Society, at Preston, August, 1852, the first prize of By the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, at Bridlington, August, 1851, the first prize of...... By the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Exeter, July, 1850, the first prize of...... 10 By the Royal Agri. Society, at Norwich, July,1849 10 By the Royal Agri. Society, at York, July, 1848 10 By the Royal Agricultural Society, at Newcastleupon-Tyne, July, 1846.. ....... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Caistor, July, 1851 ... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Louth, July, 1850 ...... By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Brigg, July, 1849.... 0 By the North Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, at Lincoln, July, 1848,. 30 The firm has been also successful with cake crushers and chaff cutters; numbering in all about 200 money prizes, of about £1400 value, and 21 These ingold, silver, and bronze medal prizes. clude the Great Council medal at the Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations, London, 1851; the Grand Medal of Honour, at the Universal Exposition at Paris, 1855; three gold medals at the Universal Agricultural Exposition at Paris, 1856; the gold medal at the Imperial Royal Agricultural Society of Austria, at Vienna, 1857; and the gold medal at the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of Gers, at Condom, 1857. In appropriate commentary on this legion of honours, we may avail ourselves of the following well-written description from the Official Illustrated Guide to the Great Northern Railway "No visitor to Grantham should leave the town The without visiting the immense manufactory of Messrs. Hornsby and Son, whose agricultural implements have gained for them a world-wide reputation. Those who inspected the rich collection of machinery devoted to farming purposes, at the Great Exhibition of 1851, will remember the encomiums awarded to the productions of this eminent firm. The wonderful development in this department of science, and the great demand for firstclass articles, are partly exemplified in the history of Mr. R. Hornsby's career. Forty years ago this gentleman walked into Grantham,-without capital or friends, it is true; but endowed with a patience and determination which speedily placed him on the high road to success: his present position is entirely owing to the intelligence with which he has studied the requirements of agricultural interests, and to the encouragement he has given to inventions of great ability and convenience. works of Messrs. Hornsby and Son possess an interest which all must acknowledge and appreciate. The Turnery, into which the visitor is ushered on his visit to this manufactory, will prepare him, in some measure, for the extensive operations of this firm. In the immense department for machinery are the corn-drill, successfully introduced by Mr. Hornsby in the early days of his career, and exhibited at the world's bazaar in 1851, where a 'council medal' was awarded for it. Five of these machines, each combining various excellencies, were then shown. The ten-rowed corn and general purpose drill is a highly finished machine, with an improvement patented by this firm, of India-rubber tubes for conducting the seed down to the channel made by the coulter, which is a valuable improvement upon the old plan of a series of cups, made This drill of tin, working one within the other. has also another improvement of two coulter bars, by which an equal pressure is obtained upon every coulter, and the double-action lever enables the manure to be deposited to any depth, and covered up previous to the seed being deposited.' The visitor, in promenading through this great manufactory, will do well to notice the moveable steam engines, for which Messrs. Hornsby and Son received the preference at the Great Exhibition over all their competitors; and have taken the first prizes in twenty-one out of twenty-three public competitions. The services rendered to agriculture by this little machine are invaluable. The necessity of threshing corn under cover in barns is obviated by this steam engine, the rick now being threshed in the open air at once as it stands. Instead of three or more barns clustering round the homestead, a single building will now suffice for dressing corn and chaff-cutting.' Besides these, there are many uses to which the moveable steam engine may be applied. The winnowing machines of the same manufacturers elicited the following verdict of the Judges at the York Agricultural Meeting :'Several machines,' they say,' were tried, but could not get through the grain, shorts, straw, and chaff, as it came from the threshing machines, without being choked, or requiring much more time than Hornsby's, which did its work well, parting the whole into best corn, good tail, tail, whites, screenings, and chaff, at the rate of about fifteen quarters an hour, and dressing over the second time at the rate of about twenty quarters per hour, parting the whole into six parts, as before, in a workmanlike manner.' 'Such masterly mastication and digestion, making the contents of our supposed wheat rick, forty quarters, in five hours ready for market, must be appreciated by farmers.' "The whole of the operations in this establishment are on a great scale, and will astonish the uninitiated visitor. The plant is estimated at £100,000. The number of hands employed is 500. There are rooms and yards for every department of implement manufacturing :—for carpenters' work; for testing engines; a smithy, with thirty forges; a lathe-room; draftsman's-room; four joiners' shops; sawing-room, with six saws at work: immense quantities of wood (oak) and iron lie about. The timber-yard contains a stock of an average worth of £6,000. Machines are here in readiness to be sent to all parts of the world, especially to New Zealand and Australia, Sweden, Austria, France, and South America." It was only this last week that we ourselves had the pleasure of inspecting the works; but Christmas is a busy time in the Strand; and we can only offer our thanks to Mr. Measom and his Guide, for a description that has served us so well. For the last few years declining health has prevented Mr. Hornsby taking any very active share in the business. He has, however, a worthy successor in his eldest son, who, with two younger brothers, now represent the firm. Under their good stewardship the trade has been still increasing, while the name, even in this age of competition, more than sustains its pristine repute. "A good name," says an old proverb, "is a precious ointment;" and that of Hornsby promises long to illustrate the adage. The treatment of the cow in the early days of English husbandry was evidently of a very rough description. In times when the advantages derived from feeding her well at all seasons was utterly disregarded-when warmth and cleanliness were deemed to be, for her, useless luxuries-when she was only kept in good condition with the duration of the grass of her pastures-when hay and straw was her only winter sustenance-need we wonder, in such days, that her breeding was equally neglected, and her diseases ascribed to all kinds of imaginary causes, such as the influence of the witch or the shrew-mouse? It is hardly more than two centuries since we first find our English agricultural writers giving any directions for the breeding of cows. It was about the year 1669, that old Worlidge gives, with commendations, his English translation of Virgil's advice to the breeder of oxen-directions which would rather startle a modern breeder. He says: "--whoc'er breeds, To choose well-bodye'd females must have care. The large-boned, coarse-looking cows were evidently in the highest favour with the farmers of those days; they perhaps were the best adapted to withstand the rough treatment they had then to endure. When the cows were ill, they assigned the origin of their complaints not to neglect or bad feeding, but if the disease was in the slightest degree uncommon, to very imaginary and evil causes. It was about the year 1596, that Leonard Mascal, of Plumstead, in Kent, gives evidence of what knowledge even a cattle-doctor possessed in those days; for he came to the farmer's aid in his book "On the Government of Cattle." In this book, amongst other equally wise observations, he gave them directions how "to know the difference between cattle bewitched, and other soreness." Then, with a similar credulity, the farmers of that time believed, it seems, that if a poor little shrew-mouse ran over their cow, it rendered her lame. So Mascal gravely propounds to them the following remedy:-" You shall have her to a briar growing at both ends, and draw the beast under it, and so she will recover." Then he proceeded to inform his reader that if the cow had the bloody flux, then "ye shall take a frog; cut off his left leg, and so put him alive in the beast's mouth," &c. With such abounding ignorance, we may reasonably conclude what comfortless kind of home Mr. Horsfall, of Burley, in Yorkshire, described in the recent number of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society; notice how, step by step, he shows the demands made upon the cow for her calf and her milk and the food necessary to meet that ensuing waste of her substance. To illustrate these practical questions, he experimented during rather more than 27 weeks upon six milch cows. During this time the food was weighed, its composition ascertained, and the disposal of that food traced (Jour. Roy. Ag. Soc., vol. xviii. p. 156). The food these cows consumed during that period, and its composition, were as follows: رو Fibrin The constituents of this food could only be dis- In the casein... posed of by these cows in either the milk they yielded, the perspiration they emitted, the flesh they acquired, or the excrement they voided. Now in this time the production of milk by six cows averaged 14 quarts per day each for 27 weeks = 16,072 quarts, which at 41 oz. per quart = 41,184 lbs. When dry or free from moisture...... lbs. 5230 1235 1977 214 5230 .... 316. 7.35 414. The remainder consumed in perspiration 150.65 888. The question as to the proportion of the food necessary to keep her in store condition, and the farther proportion required by her when yielding milk, did not escape Mr. Horsfall's attention. He takes for his starting point the established opinion of his district, that 20 lbs. of meadow hay suffice for the daily maintenance of a cow of fair size in store condition, a like result being obtained from 120 lbs. of turnips per day. The six cows then required during the 27 weeks, for their maintenance only: Starch, Total &c. weight. Albuminous matter. Oil. Hay.. lbs. 2127 616 Turnips.. 2295 306 The excess of the food given to them beyond this amount, then, was chiefly converted into milk, or meat, or the enrichment of the excreta. For the maintenance, then, of a fair-sized cow for one day in a normal state, the following elements seem adequate : Mineral Ingredients. Phoɛ. Nitrogen .41 = Ammonia .49 So that from these examinations it would appear that if the nitrogen in the food of these cows equalled 888, the disposal of this was as follows: |
