TRIAL OF DAVEY, SLEEP AND CO.'S TURN-WREST PLOUGHS AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1134, 30 September 1879, Page 2

TRIAL OF DAVEY, SLEEP AND CO.'S TURN-WREST PLOUGHS AT CAMBRIDGE.

A public trial of double-furrow turnwrest ploughs took place at Mr Maclean's farm on the Toatoaroa road, on "Wednesday last. The ploughs m work were of two kinds, the " Invincible " and' the " Climax." The former is made on the balance principle, as m steam ploughs. It is a one-way plough, and the reversion is effected very simply — the .steerage lever ia thrown up, and the horses are simple turned round, the draught chain passes under the land wheel, the handles are just tilted up, and the plough is ready for the next bout. Its advantages are these : — When the plough is once started m the field, there is, no time lost m striking out the ridges, the plough has not to travel empty along: the headland before it strikes into work again. It is started pn ths return journey m a marvelously short space of time, and there are no furrows, that not only produce nothing, but are veay injurious to every machine and animal on the farm. The injury to reapers .is avoided, and there are no furrows for sheep to get m on their backs. The straw can be cub longer, and the field made much mote level. In hilly ground there is no necessity for the horses to go up hill. They are of much lighter draught, the weight of extra shares and mouldboards being carried by very high wheels. The work' was equal, if not superior, Lo that performed by other donble-furrow ploughs at work m the field. Its lightness of draught may £be attested by the fact, that after the horses had been unyoked, after a long day's work, they set off for their stables at full gallop. The team working the plough commanded great admiration, and their condition reflects great credit on Mr Morsehead, Messrs Maclean and Co.'s manager at the station. A patent set of three-horse swingle-trees was used, a simple bearer attached to the middle swingle-tree, by which the driver could see at a glance whether the middle horse was taking his share of the draught. This plough and its work were much admired by the visitors, of whom a large number were m the field m the course of the day, and among whom were several practical agriculturists. _ The other, plough, the "Climax," is also a one way turn-wrest plough. The construction aud working of this are so* veiy simple that the most ordinary ploughman can work it, with scarcely any directions. On reaching 'the headlands, just before the horses ai*e stopped, the ploughman throws the plough over on its side on a small wheel or disc attached to the land side of #ie plough, and while the horses are turning, he unhooks the catch which holds the handles, reverses them, and again hooks the catch. Doing this requires scarcely a minute of time, and the attention of the ploughman can be given to Ms horses, the plough turning round bearing on its disc, after the horsc'a, as the chain tightens, the plough rises to its vertical position, the ploughman steadying it with one hand, and the furrow wheel falls into its proper place, and the plough enters the ground. The width of the furrow can be regulated by widening or shortening the beam, and the laud wheels regulate the depth. This plough would a,ppear to be better adapted to hill-side ploughing than the other, having a larger mould-board, and being* le=:s likely to upset. Those ploughs are made by Messrs Davey, Sleep & Co., of Cornwall, and Mr Morsehead has been tlio first to introduce them into this district. No doubt when they are better known, they Avill come into general use.