REAPER AND BINDER TRIALS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1048, 12 January 1884, Page 2

REAPER AND BINDER TRIALS.

The Hornsby Machine.

Fully fifty farmers were present at the trial of the Hornsby reaper and binder this morniug, which took place In a paddock of green oats in the Domain, leased by Mr J. Tasker, and one and all declared themselves thoroughly satisfied with the work done. Indeed there could be no two opinions concerning this, and the most inexperienced could not fail to be struck by the aspect of the field wherever the machine had passed over it. Not a sheaf was misled, and they lay at regular intervals, thus rendering-' stocking very easy. The Hornsby machine has many advantages over others in the market, inasmuch as it is of very light draught and easy to manage. There are two speeds in the knife, the packers and the reel, while the latter has both a horizontal and per-, pendicular motion, thus enabling rye grass to be cut down to six inches. By means of a late improvement in the reel the grain is thrown back on the canvas so as to allow it to go up on the ele-; vators perfectly straight. There are also' no wooden pitmans as in the American machines, these parts being made of wrought iron and steel, brass-bushed. Vnother feature of the reaper which iai worthy of notice is that it has extra travelling gear, so that by altering the pole, the machine can be taken through an eight feet gate—a manifest advantage to harvest contractors who are constantly shifting from one place to another. As a proof of the lightness of draught, we may mention that what was dono to-day was the work of only two horses, who appeared to be quite fresh after thair three, or four hours’ driving. Messrs Trolley. and R. B. Grange, exports,’ Were on the ground, and fully explained the details of ■ the working of the machine, the quaint replies of the former, who comes from England, to t e remarks of critics causing not a little amusement at times The paddock operated upon to-day consisted of thirteen acres, eight of which were cut between 10 am. and 12 30 p.m., without making allowances for stoppages, which were naturally frequent, as the farmers present were curious as to the details of the machine.

The Hornsby has certainlyja good Irecord, having been awarded the LilOO prize given by the Highland. and, Agricultural Society of Scotland kt the great 4rial of sheaf binders at Bishopton, near Paisley, in 1832. On this occasion the machine scored 833 .points out of a possible 1,000, distancing the next competitor (Wood) by 44 points, and the Howard by 63. But the best proof to the practical man is the actual work done befoVe* his eyes, and that this was satisfactory is evidenced by the fact that no less than five of the reapers were sold within a very short time of the trial commencing. Mr George Jameson is the local agent for the machine.