REAPER AND BINDER TRIAL

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7260, 21 January 1889, Page 6

REAPER AND BINDER TRIAL

A public trial of three of the harvesters now canvassing for public favor took place on Mr E. Burkes farm, Pleasant Valley road, Geraldine, on Friday. The attendance of farmers was very large, and keen interest in the trial was evinced from start to finish. The machines taking part were the Massey. shown by J. Mundeli and Co., agents, Mr McLean, the expert, also being present: the Walter A. Wood Single Apron Harvester, shown by Messrs Webster and Macdonald, Mr Germ, the expert, being also present; and the Deering, in charge of Mr James Findlay, the Temuka agent. Two of the machines, the Massey and the Deering, were set up that morning, and until then had never run a yard. The tossing of a coin decided the positions to be taken up, and it fell to the lot of the Massey to open out. The crop was one of oats, very light and short in places, and in addition to this the ground was also stony in places. The crop was well adapted to show the capabilities of the machines in short crops, but of no use whatever for showing what they could do with a thick heavy crop. When the three machines got into tbe regular cutting, the work done by all three was exceedingly good, a well-bound, evenly-butted, wellshaped sheaf being delivered, and even the most critical of the large number of farmers present being unable to find a peg on which to hang a complaint. It is intended to try the machines at an early date in a heavy crop of wheat.