the case, and as they project into the discs, which have slots cut to fit the wings, they give great stability to the stack of discs and a better drive than was obtained with the small feather of the older machine. The effect of the improvement is to very greatly increase the capacity of the machine without adding to the cost.

The running of this machine was particularly smooth and quiet. On opening the machine after the run, the discs were found to be very clean and clear of cream, and the bowl free from curds. The steam turbine, which is easy of access, is placed directly under the bowl, the spindle of which rests in an iron cup attached to the turbine spindle, and having a cross-pin fitted into a slot, thus giving a positive drive to the bowl. The turbine wheel itself is 5 inches diameter by 1 inch wide, and has on its periphery a number of buckets, in appearance somewhat like those of an overshot water-wheel, against which a jet of steam impinges. The arrangements for lubrication are good, and, as far as could be judged from so short a run, work satisfactorily.

No. 2892, The Melotte Separator Sales Company's Cream Separator, the "Melotte," No. 5, fitted with turbine for driving with a jet of steam, price 271. 10s.-The chief peculiarity of this machine is in the bowl being hung by a suspended rod (fig. 3), the lower end of which is formed into a hook and the upper end running in a ball-bearing, and being driven. direct by a steam turbine. The effect of the suspension arrangement is that the bowl is free to take up such a position as to bring the centre of gravity vertically below the point of suspension, and on the central line of revolution, the result being that the driving mechanism is free from all strain that might be caused by eccentricity of centre of gravity of the bowl, and the power required, as well as wear and tear, are thus greatly reduced. The bowl itself (fig. 4) is fitted with a series of zigzag aluminium plates (fig. 5); these plates easily slip one inside another, forming a nest, it being practically impossible

for the attendant to put them in in their wrong order. While running, the bowl is enclosed in a cast-iron box, beautifully enamelled inside, which makes it very easy to clean. The turbine wheel itself has the appearance of a ratchet wheel, about 7 inches diameter and 1 inch thick, a jet of steam impinging on the teeth.

Owing to the position of the bowl the delivery of this machine is too low to be convenient, and will not admit of an ordinary milk churn being placed under it. It was understood that this was one of the first steam turbine machines that had been made by the Company, and doubtless the small alterations

in details that experience has proved to be advisable will be made in future machines.

This machine was somewhat unfortunate in the trial. Soon after starting a small amount of water from the exhaust of the turbine escaped and ran down over the bowl. Much difficulty also occurred with the governor controlling the supply of the milk to the bowl, as it failed to act properly, and dirty oil from the machinery, which in this machine is above the bowl, fell into the milk. This is a danger which will, no doubt, have to be guarded against in future machines, and provision made to prevent the possibility of the occurrence.

This machine was supplied with 280 lb. of milk, then heated to a temperature of 94° F. The bowl was driven at 6,500 revolutions per minute. The result of the working was as follows:

No. 2546, Watson, Laidlaw & Co.'s Cream Separator, "Princess," steam turbine, price 321. 10s., stand 32s. 6d. extra. -The chief peculiarity of this machine lies in a drum placed inside the bowl, which has a vertical axis, and is perforated with curved horizontal tubes, and appears to be built up of a number of annular plates having involute corrugations stamped thereon. Apparently these plates have been placed together so that the apices of the corrugations on one plate correspond with the apices of those of the plate next to it; they have then been sweated together, thus producing a series of involute tubes from the central space to the outside of the drum, and giving it the appearance of a cylinder honeycombed with tubes. This is a beautiful piece of construction, and as far as can be seen the tubes are quite clear of any unevenness or lumps of tin or solder, though, owing to their shape, it is impossible to see through them. The turbine is of the ratchet-wheel pattern, and is about 6 inches diameter by inch thick. The working parts of the machine are easily accessible, and the running is very smooth and quiet. The effect of the honeycomb arrangement in the bowl is a very rapid separation of the cream. The washing of the honeycomb drum is, however, a matter of some difficulty, and evidently takes more care and trouble than is likely to be expended upon it in ordinary work, whilst, owing to the curved form of the tubes, it is impossible to see whether they are clean or not. For the same reason it is to be feared that the tubes cannot be properly aired, which would be likely to lead to serious results in actual practice, as it is a common experience in dairy work that, although utensils may appear to be clean, unless they have been thoroughly well scalded and exposed to the air, the milk products that have passed through them, although showing no immediate effects, do not keep so well as they otherwise would.

This machine was supplied with 330 lb. of milk, which was delivered to the bowl at 89° F., the bowl being run at 8,000 revolutions per minute, with the following result :

The following table gives the result of the working of the three steam turbine machines exhibited for competition :

No. 3923, The Dairy Supply Company's "The Farmer's Surprise," No. 4, belt-driven, price 351.-This machine, as were all the other belt-driven machines, was driven by an electric motor which derived its energy from a dynamo, so that the amount of power consumed was easily ascertainable. This separator is practically the same as the turbine-driven machine of the same exhibitors, differing only in the arrangements necessary for driving by belt instead of direct by turbine. It was, therefore, not adjudicated upon as a separate machine. It was supplied with 500lb. of milk, then heated to a temperature of 105° F., the bowl being run at 5,600 revolutions, with the following result:

No. 2515, Watson, Laidlaw & Co.'s Cream Separator "Princess," belt-power, price 551.-This is a very large machine, being capable of separating 250 gallons per hour. Its size renders it more suitable for a central factory than a farm, as it would take the produce of about 200 cows to keep it going for an hour. It is fitted with a honeycomb drum similar to that of the steam turbine-driven machine, and is open to the same objection as to cleaning, &c.

No. 2567, The "Fram" Dairy Machinery Company's Cream Separator "Fram," No. 4, belt-driven, price 291. 5s.-The bowl of this machine is driven by a cord from a large driving wheel to a small pulley on the bowl spindle, and is fitted with a very neat and simple arrangement for keeping the cord tight. Inside the bowl are fitted a number of flat aluminium plates, the milk being delivered to the outside of these through four tubes radiating from the central tube, into which the milk is fed. The bowl itself is self-emptying. The running of this machine was all that could be desired, and the power taken was extremely small. The absence of all noise and vibration was very marked. The working parts and liability to wear and tear are reduced to a minimum, but the separation was very unsatisfactory, the amount of fat left in the separated milk being very high. It is, however, understood that the patent arrangement fitted to the hand machine of these exhibitors, but which, unfortunately, met with an accident, is to be fitted to the power machines, and this may perhaps put matters right. This machine was supplied with 250 lb. of milk, then heated to a temperature of 90° F., the bowl being run at 4,500 revolutions, with the following result:

CLASS III. HAND-POWER SEPARATORS.

The special object of these trials was not to ascertain the largest quantity of milk that a separator can possibly deal with efficiently when worked by manual labour, but rather to find the best machine which might be worked easily by a dairymaid. Consequently, a somewhat low limit was assigned to the amount of power for working them.

In this class the first hand-power machine to be tried was No. 2568, The "Fram" Duiry Machinery Company's No. 2, Hand