TRAIL OF PATENT CULTI VATOR.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2336, 29 September 1881, Page 3

TRAIL OF PATENT CULTI VATOR.

Yesterday Messrs P. and D. Duncan /gave a public trial of their new invention, a patent cultivator, at the farm of Mr James Stark, Lincoln road. The gentlemen who were present were few in number, but were all well qualified to report on the capabilities of the machine offered for their inspection. The ground on which the trial was made was flat, rather low-lying, paddock, which had been ploughed eome time ago, and consequently was hardly a fair field for the experiment. Making allowance, however, for this, at the end of the woik there was little doubt left in the minds of these present as to what the cultivator, un’er other circumstances, could or could not do. Duncin’s patent cultivator may be described as a double-furrow plough, subsoilcr, und pulveriser combined. It is designed for, and es far as could be seen from its performance on this occasion, completely succeeds in turning over and pulverising the soil through which it travels ! to a depth of from 10 to 12 .nches, and a breadth of from 2 feet to 2 foot 6 inches . or 3ft. To effect this there are three pieces to excavate each furrow. The lowest one in front is the plough proper ; it penetrates and breaks up the hard subsoil. Above it, and to the rear, is a separate share set at a different angle, which cuts up the clods raised by the first segment of the plough. Above this again and further still in rear, is the mould board, which turns over the pulverised soil, leaving it not merely turned aside, but thoroughly mixed, and for the whole width of its scope with a flat surface with the bottom part of the upper spit turned upwards almost ready to receive seed. The beauty cf the operation is the level surface bed that is left, while its chief utility must be the complete breaking up of the subsoil, which all the while remains in its original position. It will be seen, therefore, that the cultivator, while as a whole resembling a double-furrow plough, does in reality perform the functions of six separate instruments, which as a whole are to a plough what a fork is to a spade. The soil is made to travel through its interstices, being comminuted in its passage instead of being pushed aside in. clods or furrows, there being, in point of fact, no furrow loft. The cnltivatoris notintended for fallow or new lands, but for stubbles there could scarcely be anything better calculated for economy and dispatch. It weighs something less than 4cwt.,and in the trial was drawn by three horses, which seemed not at all troubled with their draught. The ground was certainly very mellow, but it was quite clear that with four horses a depth, breadth and total quantity of tillage could bo obtained per diem in almost any soil superior to anything of the kind in the colony. The machine is arranged, by means of simple adjustments, to work to any gauge to which it is possible to fix it. It is, of course, to be worked by one man. The price of it will, it is stated, be about £l6. On the whole, it is sure to recommend itself to every practical farmer, and there can be little fear of its general acceptance where thoroughness of work at the least cost is desired. A two-way or hillside plough was also exhibited in work on the ground, but did not appear to great advantage. It is quite different in principle from that lately shown by another firm. Messrs Duncan’s implement is simply two swing ploughs joined butt to butt. Within the hollow of the mould boards is a wheel, however, which balances the plough and assists the draught. The horses draw from a pin in the centre of the mould boards, to which is attached all the superstructure of on ordinary plough. In work, when the end of a land is reached, a bolt is withdrawn by the ploughman, the horses are turned on the nnplonghed ground, and while the plough itself remains in the furrow, the whole superstructure revolves on the centre pin until it gets into line, when it falls into place, is secured by the bolt controlled by the ploughman, and the horses travel beck in the furrow last made. Yesterday, besides having to work in ground unfitted for it, the several parts of the machine went stiffly, but the principle of construction seemed to be sound, and with a little more attention there should be no difficulty in bringing it to da its own proper work in perfection.