MILKING MACHINE TRIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 4 June 1907, Page 2

MILKING MACHINE TRIAL.

s "THE IIAIiT.XETT." il -Milking by machinery has passed the e experimental stage, and is now a come mctfcial proposition. The increasing a difficulty of procuring labor for hardmilking lias done muej to pane that 0 good old style in the background to a 11 gleat extent, whilst the advantages of 1 tile machines have, of course, been great canvasser* in their favor. The latest n midline introduced to Taranaki is ihe t "Jlarlnett," for which the Taranaki Farmers' Company in Curiae street aic the local agents. With a view ol briug- : ing ils good points under the notice of - dairy farmers, a demonstration or trial ? was arranged for .Monday afternoon at l Sir K. ,1. Morris' farm at Oakura. Tn"ie

was a good attendance of farmers, ami (lie o|H-mli<m of the milker was wat.'hoil wil.li keen interest. Tim apparent, tiiin]>.icity of construction ami the almost silent working were soon commented upon, whilst the rapidity ami ■ cleaiilin'esS of the work, the quietness of ! till* cows anil the consequent lessened need lor "language'' (lid not fail to im- . pre-s themselves upon those present. For the "llartnett" it is claimed that , its action is almost exactly that of t> , sucking calf, by the skilful combination of the principles of suction and pivsMire. There is a sleeve of rubber inside the brass-trio teat cups which, wh 11 Ihe power is turned on, expands ami contracts to imitate tile action of a calf's mouth when sucking. Quite a distinctive feature is the automatic tele ascr, by means of which the cups dropped olf.and were suspended clear of the cow as soon as tiie milk cea-cd to How. thus giving the operator more time and less anxiety in attending to the cows. This device a'so prevent* any possibility id' injury to the cow through over-in lliing. one of (he disadvantages of tile early milking machines. The pulMitor is another good point, being worked overhead and entirely out of danger in the case of a cow kicking or roaming about the bail. The ••llartnett" is made in single and double machines, the single ninchiu.' giving ilie advantage, thai each cow's m'k cm 'sweighed and tested separately. Mr Morris is well pleased with the inslal'aliou of the machines, which are driven f by a handy water-wheel. Mr llartnett,, j jun„ stales I hut as to power required , a 2(,;, h.p. motor is ample lo milk 71) t cows per hour, and the cost of the ma- , chine Is not prohibitive.