A New Bush Clearer.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2949, 13 July 1888, Page 2

A New Bush Clearer.

The inventive ingenuity of many a one iii New Zealand has been set to work to create a labor saving umcliino for clearing the land of tho dense growth of bush with which it is in many parts cucumbored, but nothing has as yot superseded tho old system ofuxoand fire. The groat drawback to the old plan, is that although, after an infinitude of labor and oxponso the trees are foiled and cleared off, yet tho stumps and roots remain to occupy a considerable spaco of land which should be under grass or other cultivation. No machine has so far been brought into uso for tho, removal of stumps and trees bodily that has combined simplicity with strength, cheapness, and efficiency. There have been many machines made, but thoy have mostly proved too cumbrous and expensive, and from frequent breakages of parts of the gear, too costly to be brought into general use. Mr Donald Donald of Manaia, who is known to bo a practical man with an inventive turn of mind, has apparently solved the difficulty. He has designed a very simple machine which he terms the." Solway Bush Clearer" which combines all the points requisite to bring the machine into universal favor, Tho "busli-clearer"or "stump lifter" as we should have named it from seeing it at work, is of simple construction. A horse-shoe shaped iron frame with wooden legs rests upon moveablo blocks(to prevent sinking into the ground), Through the centre a vertide iron har,about six feet long,works. This iron bar is about six inches wide and has* two rows of holes in it. To

this hi' is attached a lever five feet hi length, tho top centre of tho horseshoe fraino being the fulcrum. An \ ordinary jack is used to work this '. lever, A powerful double hook is p attached to the end of tho vertical bar, s and this grips into a strong root of! the tree or stump to be removed. Our reporter inspected the working of tho "Solway Bush Clearer" yesterday. This was a preliminary trial on the ground near tho railway station, Bentloy's.Estato. Mr J. Ross, of the firm of Ross and Muir, the makers,, supervised operations. Two men only were required to work the machine, which weighed but three cwt. A stump some twelve feet in circumference was selected. A leading root was cleared and chopped through about twelve inches from tho stump, a block of wood was placed oaoh sido, and the horse-shoe framo stood upon them. The vortical bar was lowered, and hooked on to the root, a five ton power "Jack" was then connected with tho lover, which' gave increased power equal to 25 ton's. One man with little effort turned the " Jack" handles, whilst the other man stood by the frame, and as the vertical bar arose, inserted stout steel pinsinto the holes, first one side and then the othor, The monster stump began to rise gradually, one root cracking ifter another, and to. cant over, and the by-stauders, being a little excited, rushed at it, aud.oyer it went, clear of everything,' leaving the earth bohind. The time occupied was less than an hour, and only two men were required to work the machine, and to shift it about. A standing tree could be removed more easily, and thrown in auy direction required, without the danger of it jumping back on the men. It would tako longer to fell a tree with the axe than to tear it out by the roots with the "Solway Bush Clearer." The machine will bo at work on Bentloy's Estate, lifting stumps, for tho next fortnight, and.any person interested in the task of clearing the , land will have ample opportunity, for inspecting it.