The Massey-Harris Cultivator.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4863, 29 October 1894, Page 2

The Massey-Harris Cultivator.

Publie Trial.

How to best prepare the ground for tho reception of either grain or root crops is a problem that Las engaged tlie minds of both farmers and implement makers for a long time past, and' every conceivable' device has been brought into requisition to meet the requirements of all. cases. Implement after implement has been tried and discarded, not on account of any actual defect, but tho conditions vary so ranch, even in small districts that the one most favoured in the South was not suited to the requirements found to exist in the North and vice ram, : ,

Implement maker-s, both English, American, and Colonial, lmve manufactured 'all descriptions of appliances, and others have altered and amended them to as far as possible suit their several purposes, until , the original implement would not be recognised by its first inventor. The Massey-Harris Company appear to have succeeded in perfecting their spring-tooth steel-frame cultivator, so as to make it one of the most useful of its kind, and an indcspensiblo article to those who are at all anxious to crop to advantage, which it must bo conceded can only be done by properly preparing the seed bed. I The trial given 011 Saturday afternoon of the Massey-Harris Company's cultivator, was witnessed by a numborof farmers who took particular interest, in the working of tho implement. The trial. took place in a paddock belonging to Mr E, E. Chamberlain, on tho Upper Plain, the ground being hard and weedy, in just such condition as to show the work of the machine to the best advantage. The Company's representative, Mr J. Young, who conducted the trial had secured a good team of horses, together with a driver from Mr Chamberlain, and these were kept going in all directions so as to show tlie work of the cultivator both along and across tho ploughed furrow. It appeared to bo clearly proved to those present that tho work of tho machine wis satisfactory; tlieground was loOsened, and the weeds brought to the surface, and this is exactly what was required to be done. The cultivators are made in various sizes, and can bo supplied with seed boxes with forced feed, to sow all kinds of seed with perfect regularity, The machine at work on Saturday, had thirteen teeth set in four inde-; pendent sections, so that any stones or stumps which might bo met with in tho ground, would, as a rule, only, affect one of these sots and not tho whole machine. It is also claimed that tho teeth being made of specially tempered steel, can be straightened out if caught.by any obstruction, and return again to their proper shape and position. It was also shown that by a proper adjustment of tho tines, tho implement can be used for various classes of work such as grubbing, scuffling, and as a horse hoe or drill harrow. This is a decided advantage. . Mr Young showed that the cultivator could be used to advantage 011 poor and light soils, whoro ploughing could not bo done, for by its means the surface could be sufficiently operated on and'grass seed sown, where at present the feed is unlit to carry any stock at all. There can bo nodoubt thcMasseyHarris Company have produced the implement wanted, j'l'he mannerin which the work was done by it on Saturday, and the simplicity of the gear and working of the machine, made a most favourable impression on those present, and wo understand several orders have been given as the result of the trial, We may mention that Mr F. H. Wood is tho Company's agent for tho Wairarapa, and Messrs Simms and Mowlem for Masterton,