Nelson's Grubbing Machine.

Manawatu Herald, 13 November 1894, Page 3

Nelson's Grubbing Machine.

, A .. On Thursday last several settlers of the district met at Himatangi, Messrs Barber's* near Carnarvon Junction; to Witness the trial, as ad-, vertisect; of Mr Chas. Nelson's new machine for clearing land. On arriving on the ground they found Mr Nelson at work with tbre^ horses attached to the machine and making thoroughly good work by cutting down to the level all scrub, miki-miki, flax, nigger heads and tussocks into which the horses could be driven. The machine, which was on exhibition at the late Palmers ton show, where it attracted considerable notice, is a flat plate of steel V shaped with a knifu on each side prolonged to a carve giving altogether a cutting swath of seven feet. The point which is slightly rounded can be raised or depressed by adjusting the attachment chain, strikes the scrub, &c, to be cut just at or a little below the surf.cc and the cutting induced by the draft, on the sides severs all obstructions with the greatest ease. In fact, the only limit to its work is the closeness of the scrub as anything which can be driven into must come down. It was the opinion of all present that with bullocks even better work could be got than was being shown as th< j y could be driven into rougher and thicker scrub. All present expressed themselves ; as pleased and surprised at the combined strength and sirnplici;y of the machine, but appeared to think that some adaptation of a mould board to it would be a great advantage by throwing the stuff into heaps ready | for burning. It should have two men to attend to it one for the debris which sometimes takes the shape of mats of roots tbree feet across. When, however, it is borne in mind that there are less than ten cuts to the chain a little calculation will show that f >r six miles and a quarter of driving five acres can be cleared it must be admitted that it is not bad work for two men. The stuff will, of course, have to be put into heap* | or rows by hand until the use of the , mould board and the land is then fit for the plough. t So favourable was the impression ( made by it on those present, rhat Mr Nelson took orders for two including t the one used. , As a factor in the improvement of . land it is far in advance of any other means hitherto employed for thac purpose and offers to the owner of , rough land a ready method of getting into such a condition as he otherwise could not have expected to for many years, oxc-'pt by an expenditure that , in many cases is beyond the means , of a struggling farmer. No doubt it will come into general use and no farm will be complete without one. Tbe patent should prove a very valuable one to MiNelson, whn, by its invention, has conferred a great boon on settlers.