THE BUCKEYE LOW DOWN REAPER AND BINDER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2521, 6 September 1888, Page 2

THE BUCKEYE LOW DOWN REAPER AND BINDER.

Mu John Owen, of Messrs Morrin and Co., on Tuesday last, had on exhibition at Ohaupo, one of the Buckeye Lowdown reapers and binders, a machine, which at present, is commanding considerable attention in the farming districts of the colony on account of the nearness with which it comes to a perfected harvester. In the first place, the machine only weighs 900lbs, thus being iu dead weight about 3001bs lighter than the general run of harvesters, and consequently there is a good deal of hoi-se labour saved from this cause. A man driving the machine is able to do the whole of it without moving from his seat, the whole of the levers being within easy reach of his hand. As the weight of the gearing, etc. is mostly all on the platform side of the driving wheel, the risk of capsizing oil even steep sidlings, is reduced to a minimum. We may here state that this class of machine has been successfully worked in the Southern provinces on ground that is very steep, doing the work as well as any back delivery machine, thus effecting a groat saving in manual labour. The measurement of the Lowdown is 10ft. Gin., and therefore it is capable of being moved through any ordinary gateway easily, thus doing away with tho necessity of tho transport carriage required.with the elevator machines. The tightness with which the sheaves are tied gives this machine an advantage over most others. When knotting, the sheaf is held close up to the knotter plate, and when relaxed has, instead of six inches, about only three to expand to fill up the baud. The plunger bolt, which, in the knotter of previous machines, required so much regulation, has been done away, and in the present knotter, should any part get out of gear, it can be re-adjusted at once. By the permission of Mr W. Hunter, senr., a practical test of the working of the machine was given on some green oats, ana the manner in which the cutting and binding were done on the green crop quite convinced those present that tho machine was just the one required for this district.