THE REAPER AND BINDER EXHIBITION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1452, 10 February 1885, Page 2

THE REAPER AND BINDER EXHIBITION.

The exhibition of reapers and binders on Saturday, briefly noticed in our issue of that day, was made in a fair crop of oats growing in the Domain. The character of the crop and the nature of the ground were favorable to the machines, and the work in all cases was highly satisfactory. Had the exhibition been a competition it would have been difficult to pronounce upon the respective merits af the machines, and where there was so much excellence in all, we shall not attempt to make a distinction:—

THE HORNSBY Agent, Mr George Jameson.

If our American cousins carry off .the palm for ingenuity in the construction of their machines, it must be apparent to the most casual observer that for strength, durability, and capability of dealing with every description of crop, whether tangled or stormbroken, short or long, their productions are excelled by the machines turned out of the English manufactories. The very even crop with which they bad to deal on Saturday gave the interested onlooker no opportunity ot drawing conclusions on the merits of the machines in these matters, but there was a general concensus of opinion that the Hornsby, driven by Mr Trolly, was about equal to the most difficult or heavy piece of work that could be allotted to it. One admit* able feature observed in the Hornsby is a novel contrivance‘for carrying the bound sheaves till three are collected, and then let fall together, side by side, on the ground. By this means the time occup ed in stocking is minimised, and, as a consequence, one more item in harvesting expenses is reduced. Another marked improvement was noticeable in the knotter, which is not liable to get out of order, and altogether the construction of the Hornsby indicated simplicity combined with strength, and we confess that the makers are to be pardoned for their very confident assertion that they are satisfied of its superiority to any other,” and this is to an extent borne out by a long list of first prizes, which the enthusiastic expert, Mr Trolly was not slow in drawing attention to.

THE HOWARD. Agents, Messrs Matson, Cox and Co. The remarks we have made in reference to the strength, durability, and capability of the Hornsby are applicable to the Howard. On Saturday, driven by Mr Casa, jun., the machine did excellent work, As the crop was intended for hay the agents’ representative —Mr David Thomas— ordered the reaper to bo set low. and every valuable part of the straw was secured In fact, from the work we have seen this machine do, we question whether it would not creditably perform the operations required of a lawn mower. We have already stated that the crop cut on Saturday presented no great difficulty to the machines engaged, but from the performance of the Howard we should have no hesitation in entrusting it with far more formidable undertakings. The agents refer with j ustißable pride to a testimonial the machine has secured from Mr Andrew Macfarlane, of Alford forest. Mr Macfarlane says Howard has given every satisfaction. I consider them the strongest binders in the market. X have cut some of the heaviest crops in this district with them.” The agents have many more effusive commendations, but we know Mr Macfarlane, and if we ran a reaper, should value an expression of opinion from that gentleman more than the moat pronounced praise from the average testifier. The Howard has already found a large sale in this County.

THE OSBORNE. Agent, Mr F. Ferriman.

1 The Osborne Company issue the following warranty with each of their machines - sold:—“ All our machines are warranted - to be well built, of good material, and i capable of cutting, if properly managed, , from ten to fifteen acres per day. If on starting the machine it should in any way , prove defective, and not work wall, the purchaser shall give prompt notice to the agent of whom he purchased it, and allow time for a pardon to be serit to put it in order. If ut cannot then be made to do ’ good work, the defective part will be replaced, or the machine received back from * the purchaser at the office of the agent from whom it was purchased, and the * money or notes returned. Keeping the machine during harvest, whether kept in use or not, shall be ' deemed conclusive evidence that the machine fills the wdr--1 ranty.” The Osborne is field in high estimation in heavy crop districts, aqd special attention has been giveq to the general mechanical construction, finish, and work-

njapship of parts subject to friction. THE WALTER A. WOOD. Agent, Mr F. Ferriman. The harvesters of the Walter A. Wood Mowing and Heaping Machine Company * —• been long favorably known in this na«K rl ''"'nany claim for the district. The t *" binder Wood that it was the first twmu - introduced. They state :—“ Mr Wood

conceived the idea of bringing out a new twine binder in August, 1879. After making experiments with it in September following, as far as possible in the late grain crops, he dispatched ope pf p hpfjj, with an expert abroad, for experiments in the late grain crops in the north of England and in Scotland. He also had twenty-five made from wooden patterns, and dispatched them, with an rxpert, by rail to San Francisco, and thence by steamer in order to reach Australia and New Zealand in limp for experiments with them in the grain crops 91 Decipher and January.” Certain it is that the Wood was the first binder of any kind introduced to New Zealand, and stiil has a firm hold upon the esteem of a vast number of farmers. There is a new expert representing this machine in the colony this year, Mr W. Yeirs, and the manner in

which he handled the harvester on Saturday won it man} additional admirers, while hie peculiar trade eloquence and courtesy persuaded the most sceptical of its merits.

THE CHAMPION. Agent, Mr E. Reece, Christchurch. This machine we {noticed at considerable length in a recent issue, and need only add that it did its work well on Saturday, and has found favor with a great number of farmers.

THE JOHNSTONE. Agent, Mr Alfred Harrison.

This machine, comparatively new to Ashburton, is a great favorite in some other parts of the colony. The work it did on Saturday, in a paddock adjoining the Domain, was of very highjorder. The machine is of remarkably light draft, two fair horses working it with great ease.

SAMUBLSON’S LOW LEVEL. Agents, New Zealand Grain Agency and Mercantile Company. For this the agents claim that it is the only machine in the world that does away entirely with all elevators. This machine is constructed on entirely different principles from all other binders. The grain being cut in the ordinary way is passed on, without elevating, by the platform canvas direct to the packers, which after delivering it to the binder cease to pack until the binder is ready for another sheaf The sheaf is separated perfectly from the rest of the grain, bound and dropped quietly on the ground as the machine-passes on, having no distance to fill, owing to the finder being only a few inches higher than the platform apron. There can be no donbt that tlm principle of the machine is the one which will be ultimately adopted by all makers. Amongst practical men it has always appeared a great waste of power to have to carry up the graiu some feet and then bring it down again, to say nothing of the shelling of the grain when ripe between the elevator canvases.