WALTER A. WOOD HARVESTING COMPANY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9301, 31 December 1895, Page 2

WALTER A. WOOD HARVESTING COMPANY.

. <» ■ ..■ . " Weekly Press and Referee. -

[By Ope Agbicultciral Reporter.] There is no more interesting feature on our various Agricultural and Pastoral show grounds than the magnificent displays of farm implements and mscbiner, ? one annually sees grouped togeikg^jedJi^ c T *ver attractive the exhibit* of Ua -, there is always gainfered round tfe^. 4 large numbers of visitors who inspect with the closest attention the various tools which the principal firms manufacture to meet the wants and lighten the labours of the agriculturist and pastoralist. - The eection devoted to machinery on the Canterbury Metropolitan Show ground has always been peculiarly attractive, for there the practical farmer has been able to make sure of seeing all classes of machinery of the very latest and most approved pattern. To keep pace with the annually increasing areas of land put under cereal and root crops, the Walter A. Wood Harvesting Company have been most unspai'ing in evexy way to keep thoroughly up to date in bringing out the most approved and very best appliances possible, and in order that farmers may have every opportunity afforded them to thoroughly inspect the newest machinery, they have wisely made a point of having a good display on our public Show grounds, and this year has certainly been no exception to the rule of former seasons. Mr J. P. Richardson firat took charge of the Walter A. Wood Company's business in New Zpaland four years ago, and when he did so it was with the full determination of making the single apron reaper and binder largely and favourably known in every part of the colony. Since then he has never once swerved from his intention, but like a true born American he has gone straight ahead, and that too with results which have far and away exceeded all his most sanguine expectations. With good agents in almost every town and village in the colony, and a staff of reliable assistants under his own immediate supervision, Mr Richardson has so increased the sales of the Walter A. Wood single apron reaper and binder as to gain for it an unrivalled position. To show that its popularity is no mere temporary spurt, it may be mentioned that in spite of low prices last year not only sending all hopes a long way balow par, and very greatly restricting the area put under crop, the single apron machine had a record

sale, those who bright before coming again, and bringing their friends. This year tho outlook for the farmer is happily far more I promising, and while the improved prospect has added largely to the acreage under cereal crop, it has had a gratifying and corresponding effect ou the sale of the Walter 'A. Wood machines, large orders having already been received from all parts of the colony. Tho first of these orders was filled five "weeks ago, when a' long line of railway tracks laden with machinery from the Company's yards in Christchurch went .south, every machiuc on the train having boon sold for delivery off the Tiinaru ground. Four years ago Mr Richardson gained credit for what was, up to then, the largest and most attractive display of harvesting machinery ever seen on a New Zealand Show Ground. This year he eclipsed all former displays, with a collection which did him infinite credit, and showed that he is still determined to keep tixe Company he represents well in of the agricultural and pastoral public. The display comprised reapers and binders, side deliveries, mowers, hay rakes, hay tedders, combined seed and manure drills, and a variety of other implements which went to make up a most creditable exhibit. As an instance of the durability of the Walter A. Wood machines, and to show the great improvements which have been made in their construction, there was shown a mower which was in use in North Canterbury over thirty yeara ago, and which is still in perfect working order. Tho Favourite grain drill and the Farmers' Favourite special shoe press fertilizer drill are implements which well repay close inspection. The former was in the market last year, and so striking was its perfect mechanical construction for the effective sowing of all kinds of seeds and manures that every machine was speedily sold, and a number of additional orders had to remain over to be filled.this season. There is about this year's machine a number of improvements, but without going into details of mechanism, it will be sufficient to say that everything is made of tho very best material, ensuring both lightness of draught with durability of wear. It will sow any kinds of grain and grasses, the devices for regulating quantities and changing speeds are simple, powerful, and easily manipulated, while the Wizard positive force feed, with safety break pins, for equally distributing any kind of fertilizer, is one of the best and most effective yet invented, it being impossible for the manures to clog, or for more or less than the desired quantity to be forced down and sown with the grain. These shoe drills are specially adapted for use on rough land or where there is much surface rubbish, »stubble, or tussocks, the shoes so acting that they will easily rise or drop down to any uneven surface, and sow the seed to a uniform depth on allconditionscf soils. The shoe principle is interchangeable, and can, if required, ■be easily fitted to the ordinary drill. As a practical illustration of their adaptability for sowing all kinds of grain one of the drills was exhibited in motion and was shown sowing beans, peas, maize, wheat, oats, barley, tares, turnips, and several kinds of grasses and clovers, the positive and effective manure feed being also shown at the same time. The writer has been present at a number of public and private trials of these drills held under varying conditions as regards nature of soil, and the results of the trials in each instance have been most gratifying, farmers freely expressing the opinion that the drill is one of the most perfect they have ever seen, and backing up their opinion in a practical way by straight out purchasing. All the mechanism of the Farmers' Favourite Grain, has been proved to be absolutely perfect. One notable improvement on this year's drill, compared with those previously in the market, is a special device for raising or lowering the hoes either from the driver's seat or at the rear of the drill. The fertilizer attachments will distribute any of the many varieties of manures with great exactness, no matter what the condition of the manure, or the nature of the surface of the soil. The spring hoe attachment is another special device, admirably adapted for use either on well-cultivated plains lands, rough or stony ground, up or down hill, on a sidling, or in soils where there is much surface rubbish. All the attachments to this famous drill are easily interchangeable, the sowing of any desired quantity of any seed or manure per acre can be regulated to a nicety, all the material used in tho construction of the drill is of the very best, the draught is exceptionally light, while there caii be no question whatever as to the durability and suitability of the Farmers' Favourite for all seed and manure sowing purposes. While speaking of durability one is reminded of the enviable name the Waiter A. Wood machinery has deservedly gained for this desirable quality, more particularly when it is combined with absolute efficiency, and the most modern adaptation of mechanism. The Walter A. Wood reapers and binders and mowers were first introduced into the colony over thirty years ago, and soma of those self same machines are actually in use at the present day, and are in thorough working order. Good, however, as they are in themselves, they can m no way be compared with the marvels of mechanical skill revealed in the harvesting machinery for 1595. As previously intimated, Mr Richardson had a great display on the Metropolitan Show ground, and during the whole of the two days there was a constant crowd of practical farmers and others round the Walter A. Wood stand, and many were the gratifying compliments paid to this enterprising firm ; compliments not merely in the form of words, but in the shape of hona fide orders for additional machinery. So thoroughly have the implements previously purchased satisfied all who have used them, that the record of sales this season promises to exceed that of any previous season. Both the reapers and binders have successfully stood all the most eevere tests they could be put to, and as a proof of this they have found a permanent place in every part of the Avorld. A couple of seasons ago the writer was present at a trial on the Longbeach estate, one of the largest and very best agricultural fai-nis in the colony. The crop was of such a nature as to thoroughly test the capabilities of the single apron machine, but it opened out the crop, and cut, tied, and delivered the well-bound sheaves round after round with such satisfaction that Mr Robert M'Clain, who was then one of the Walter A. Wood representatives, took an order from Mr Grigg for half-a-dozen machines to be sent down to Longbeach immediately, while at the end of the season Mr Richardson received from the proprietor of Longbeach a very gratifying testimonial as to the good work tlie machines had made in any crop they were put into. Being unusually light and even in draught, exceedingly simple in mechanical construction, and every part made of the best and most durable material, the Walter A. Wood single apron reaper and binder i 3, as it deserves to be, a great triumph, and absolutely reliable under any conditions a grain grower will ever need to put it. It has a long record of successful public and private trials, and is, without doubt, one of the very best and most reliable implements which can be put into a harvest field. Time and trusty, the hero of many a hardly contested field trial, and financially within the reach of every farmer, those in need of a machine cannot possibly go wrong in purchasing a Walter A. Wood. For those who grow beans, peas, small areas of grain, for working on lull-sides, and for cutting clover and flax the Walter A." Wood enclosed gear folding reaper is an ingeniously contrived and most i-eh'able implement. j The draft is very light, and, made ! largely of malleable iron, 'the machine is strong and durable. The rakee for delivering the cut grain, &c, are made to work a'atomatically, a foot lever enabling the driver to easily set the rakes to operate at any intervals, or to stop them while going round cornera, and set / them so as to accommodate the requirements of working in light or heavy crops. All the bearings have removable brass bushes, the raising and

lowering device is independent of the tilt movement, the device for shifting is conveniently handy to the driver, the seat, foot rest, platform and rakes can either or all bequiekly folded to accommodate the machine for Roingthrough narrow gateways, along the public roads, or for convergent storage. The machine is extremely handy, and has already found favour with a very large number of purchasers both in the North and South Islands. The Walter A. Wood tubular steel mowers were first placed upon the market in 1890, and their excellence of design and general construction became so speedily recognised that it was found difficult to keep pace with the orders which came in from all parts. This demand has gone on increasing to such an extent that they are now to be seen in use in eveiy fanning district in the old and new worlds, giving unqualified satisfaction to all concerned. They are of course made in various sizes and to suit either the large or small farmer. The ve*y best of material has been used in their construction, and the novelty of design is such that they work equally well on rough or level land, on the hill-side, or on a lawn. The .draft is very even and light, and a 'conveniently placed lever gives the driver perfect control over the machine without dismounting. Hay-rakes and haytedders are also made a specialty of by the Walter A. Wood Harvesting Company, and they always have in stock full supplies of the best machine oils, binder twines, knife grinders, and other harvesting and farm requisites. Another machine worthy of special notice, and which is meeting with a lai'ge sale, is H. L. Bennetts' patent and improved stump puller, for extracting tree stumps, pulling pipes out of wells, lifting stone in quarries, removing posts, or any other kind of heavy lifting work. With a single and-nicely balanced lever one man can lift twenty tons with one of these machines, and they are made to lift from thirty to one hundred and fifty tons according to size. It is a great invention, and for extracting stamps of trees it is most effective and. has done a lot of work in all our bush districts, the lifting of a big stump, roots and all, clean out of the ground being only the work of a few minutes. Another speciality among the list of exhibits shown by the Walter A. Wood Company was several of Newton and M'Gee's patent dehorners, a machine for instantaneously removing the horns from young or old cattle. They were shown in four sizes, as follows: No. 1, calf knife, intended for calves only, and having a two inch opening ; No. 1, revolving cut, with a 3- inch opening ; No. 2, draw cut, formedinm aged cattle, « ith 3£ inch opening; and No. 3, intended either for young or old cattle, the knife having a 4& inch opening. Dehorning is now largely practised wherever cattle are kept in any numbers, and Newton and M'Gee's machines have met with a large sale, having proved a most simple and effective device. One could go on writing about the various classes of machinery the Walter A. Wood Harvesting Company now supply to their innumerable clients, and especially could one dwell on the novel features introduced into their special lines of reapers and binders, mowers, and seed and manure drills, but the chief object here has beon to direct attention to the excellent displays Mr Richardson has been year after year making at our principal shows, as well as to call the attention of the farmer to a class of machinery that is well deserving hie special patronage. To say that since Mr Richardson took charge in New Zealand five years ago the business of his company in this colony has increased more than tenfold is no exaggeration, and to say that the class of machinery he has been able to supply his numerous clients has been of the most modern and best description possible, is only to record an unvarnished and simple fact.