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instrument occurs in Theophrastus ; but not sufficiently de-finite to ascertain if it be applicable to those purposes forwhich the present sowing-machine is used. The first expe-riment was made with Locatellis machine, in the presence ofa commissioner, named Pietro Bonarentura von Crollolanza,appointed for that purpose. Those experiments succeededso well, that a crop of sixty for one was obtained from landunmanured, and subject to frequent inundation. On thisaccount, the Emperor (Rudolphus II.) rewarded the inven-tor, and sent him with letters of recommendation to the Kingof Spain .

Locatelli’s machine was exceedingly simple, consisting ofa seed-box, the cylinder of which was furnished with twosmall wheels, which required to be only hooked or fastened,by means of ropes, to the stilt of the plough.

We learn from Evelyn, who, in 1669, gave to the Royal Society of London a complete description of Locatelli’sinvention, that the inventor went to Spain with his machine,where he proved the advantage of it by public experiments,and described them in a publication in the Spanish language,dedicated to Geronimo de Camargo, member of the Consejorealde Castilla, who was commissioned by the King to makeknown and promote the use of this machine, the sale ofwhich was secured to the inventor, at a price fixed in hispatent. This Spanish work, from whence Evelyn made hisextract, was printed with the approbation of the AustrianCrollolanza, 1st August, 1663.

Various have been the projected and practical improve-ments in this machine, since the period of its original intro-duction; many of those, however, from the too frequent fateattending on such designs, proved so complex, soon got outof repair, and the reinstatement of which became too ex-pensive for general purposes. Simplicity is a requisitevery essential to every species of machinery, but is particu-larly so in all cases where it is probable the direction ot itsoperations are to be left to rude and vulgar hands. Theadvantages resulting from this mode of agricultural improve-ment, are too well known to be here insisted upon.

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The term which designates those machinery where oresare prepared for the smelting-furnace, is, we believe, acomparatively modern term ; but the application of meansto obtain a similar effect is of great antiquity. We have