TRIAL OF GANG PLOUGHS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1917, 16 April 1880, Page 3

TRIAL OF GANG PLOUGHS.

Messrs G. King and Co., agents for Oarr and Hobson's Gang Ploughs, (which completely upset all preconceived ideas of celerity in breaking up the soil), exhibited them yesterday at work at the farm of Mr John Overton, of Prebbleton. In these ploughs the handles are entirely dispensed with; the mould boards are firmly attached to a movoable or side swinging gang of two or three beams (if double or treble furrow) ; it has a powerful lever, by means of which the mould boards are shifted from a working to a travelling position, or by the same means lowered again for work. When about to turn corners a alight upward jerk en the lever unlocks the joint, whilst a forward motion brings the ploughshares to the surface, and at the commencement of new furrows the lever is thrown down, and the ploughshares enter the soil. The double furrow plough is drawn by two horses, and tha treble furrow plough by three horses, driven from an elevated perch exactly similar to that on the well known reapers and binders. The depth of work is regulated by a simple device at the forward and of the beams, and as the draught is direct from the work, the carriage receives no strain. It has a single straight axle—the off-wheel running on the top of the first furrow, and is always in a level position either in work or transit. Both ploughs were tried in a stubblo field, where at least a foot of stubble, and a dense undergrowth of clover and weeds had to be contended with, but each plough did its work well. The double furrow, with two horses, turned over a width of 2ft, whilst the treble furrow, with three horses, turned over a width of 2ft. Bin. Several of the neighboring farmers wore present, and at their request the ploughs were altered from skim ploughing ut 2in. depth to a depth of 9in., and they answered the demands made upon them admirably. It was suggested that the ploughs should bo tried in grass land. Immediately, with his usual courtesy, Mr Overton placed a grass paddock he intends breaking up this season at Messrs King and Oo.'s service. The machines were at once removed to the grass land, and here they excelled their previous performance, the various gradations from skim ploughing to full depth work being again gone through, and to the entire satisfaction of all the agriculturists prtaent. One retired farmer remarked—" If these ploughs had been invented before I sold my farm, I'd havo stuck to it." It is intended to give a further public trial of these ploughs near Laeston, of which due notice will be given.