OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Issue 31, 3 December 1897, Page 31

OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY.

ANNUAL SUMMER SHOW. The twenty-first summer show of the above Society \\ as held at Tahuna Park last Wednesday and Thursday. There was a large attendance of visitors from all parts of the country and the town people were also very largely represented, fully 14,000 persons being on the grounds on Thursday afternoon. The show of sheep, cattle, and horses, though not as numerous as last year was still in point of quality up to the usual standard. The implements exhibited were much more numerous than last year, every possible class of farming machinery being shown. The following is a detailed account of some of the principal exhibits :—: — MASSEY-HAItRIS COY. (LIMITED) As at last year's show, this company's exhibit is up to its usual high standard of excellence. The quality of the machines exhibited and the completeness of the arrangement? of thj same could not. bo surpassed. Chief among the exhibits are the wide open reapers and binders of the company which are now known nil over the globe. and this year have the advantage of roller and bull bearings, which makes the draught very easy. Farmers should make a point <,f inspecting the above improvements as they are a gre.it advantage to the binder. They also show Imperial Reapers, Brantford one and two horse mowers, hayrakers with steel wheels, hay tedder.?, turnip pulpers, single, double, treble and four furrow ploughs and scufners with one and two long levers and long hillers. The binder, as well as several other machines, are shown in uiction, and attracted a large number of visitors from the country who seemed to be thoroughly sati.-fiud that the machines wcie all that they were represented to bi«. Another useful implement exhibited was the Massey-Harris cultivator, which is now very largely used throughout the country, and also their famous grain drills with I."j a»'d li> Bhoes. One gi eat advantage of the perfected roller and ball bearings in the binders and mowers is that it reduces the friction which increases as the supply of oil decrease?. The sale of the firm's implements has now assumed enormous proportions and they have become favourites with the whole farming community. A quantity of oil was also shown. Within the last two years this firm have gone into the bicycle butdness, and as with all their other machines, their bicycles are of the very best quality and the excellent display made by the firm is a standing proof of the popularity these machines have already gained. The success of the Massey-Harris bicycle since its introduction proves it to be a high grade bicycle in point of construction, material, design and finish. The whole exhibit of this firm reflected great credit on the management as it was in every way interesting and complete. Representatives of the firm were on the ground, and with their usual courtesy explained the full working of the above implements and bicycles. KEID AND GEAY. As usual, this firm's stand is replete with every kind of modern machinery. Chief among their exhibits is the Deering " Pony " and " All Steel " harvesters and binders (for which the firm are sole agents). These binders are specially built for the New Zealand market, and will handle both long or short grain equally well, they are fitted with ball and roller bearings. Being shown in motion, they attract a great deal of attention. The Deering '• Ideal " mowers, also fitted with ball and roller bearings, are on view. A 11inch four roller double chaffcutter and bagger is worthy of notice, and is fitted with patent reversing gear. Their Eureka seed turnip and manure drills also receive favourable comment. Steel and wood frame diss harrows of all sizes are fitted with all the latest improvements, one special feature on both harrows being that they were drawn f rom the epds, which effectually protects the bearings against

dirt and loose earth getting into them. Ploughs of every description in endless variety are shown, and, needless to pay, are a credit to this firm. The mould boards are all now made in duplicate, thus enabling the farmer to renew the boards himself without going to the blacksmith's. G rubbers, rol lors. double drills, drays chaffcutters, etc., are shown in abundance. Claytou and Shuttleworth's threshing mill (at work) is another attractive feature, and is fitted with patent divided blast and front discharge, and the screens are larger than formerly. It is also fitted with a turnover straw elevator. Burrell's traction engine, with enlarged firebox and loose winding drum, is an important feature of this stand. A new departure for this firm to make is in the direction of a large marquee filled with bicycles from the well-known English makers Rudge- Whit worth, for which Reid and Gray are sole agents for the South Island. A collection of sundries, comprising mill fittings, leather beltings, wire btrainers, fencing standards, binder twine, oils, rasps, etc., completes the exhibits in this stand. NIMMO AND BLAIR. The exhibit of Messrs Nimmo and Blair is an extensive one, and comprises "Standard" seeds of various sorts, manures, binder twine, cocoanut oilcake, restorine, lactina, and the now well known '' Planet Jr.' implements, besides other machinery for agricultural purposes. Although everything is " for exhibition only," and notwithstanding the fact that the seeds have had no special preparation for show, being just what are sold by them in the ordinary way of commerce, the high quality of the seeds is apparent to the close observer. The varieties shown are only those mo'-t largely used by the agriculturist, and consist of ryegrass, cocksfoot, clovers, fescue, turnip, and other seeds. Manures exhibited are their celebrated "Standard " bone manure (which, since the results of the trials held by the Agricultural and Pastoral Society, has always had a large demand), Lawes's superphosphates, Cross's superphosphates, and Anglo-Continental dissolved guano. Chief among the exhibits of implements are the various " PUnet Jr." machines, these ranging in size from the two-horse riding harrow and cultivator down to the various email hand machines. The riding harrow and cultivator is the latest novelty from the '• Planet Jr." work?, and consequently attract considerable attention. It is fitted with nine cultivator teeth adjustable to any position on tbe frame ; it can also be made into a driller, opening up three drills at a time, and with the various attachments which fit on to this machine a great variety of farm work can be done ; and the riding harrow and cultivator bids fair to equal in popularity the better known and smaller '• Planet Jr." horse hoe. Additional implements bhown are " Advance " chilled ploughs, Le Butt's seed drills, Cahoon seed sower-", etc., and to all interested in labour-saving tools an inspection of Mes&rs Nimmo and Blair's exhibits will be found of value.