Exhibition Of Ploughing.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 30

Exhibition Of Ploughing.

Do you know what coulter and high cut ploughing is? Spectators at Prebbleton-Broadfield this week for the New Zealand ploughing championships and the 14th World Ploughing Contest will be able to see demonstrations of different types of ploughing.

One of the country’s leading ploughmen, Mr J. G. Carter of Templeton who by 1965 had won 100 first prizes and championships at ploughing matches, will demonstrate coulter cut ploughing—a type of ploughing that he has done all of his life. In explanation of this type of ploughing, Mr Carter says that it is done with a standard set match plough with a No. 5 board. There should be sufficient under cut on the coulters or skeiths to turn the furrow completely upside down,

putting the grass in the bottom of the furrow, and giving about six inches of soil for cultivation. By having the coulter so far above the share and off land, or away from the ploughed furrows, the ploughing was similar to high cut ploughing which was done in the days before the grain drill was used.

Mr Carter said he felt that the ploughman with a Ransome head on his plough had an advantage over those who did not have it, in that he had a greater range of shares for grinding, as in this class of ploughing the share had to be a plain cast share ground as you please. The usual width for this class of ploughing was about six inches and it could be more than six inches deep. Mr C. Brown, of Waimate, has been selected to plough a high cut or cut as you please plot For this type

of ploughing a special high cut board is used and a set of push coulters or skeiths, as against a revolving coulter for the coulter cut class of ploughing, and a steel share. The ploughing when done properly should result in the turf being completely upside down with the grass in the bottom as in coulter cut work. The objective is to get a balanced top on the furrow so that when the seed is broadcast on the ploughing it will fall in the seams of the furrows and the ground then only needs harrowing to produce a crop. This type of procedure was used extensively in the days before the grain drill was used.

A single furrow plough drawn by a two-horse combination will also be seen in action. The horses are being lent by Mr B. Hosking, of Russells Flat, and the ploughman in this case will be Mr A. Hulston, of West

Melton, who has had many years of experience as a ploughman.

A six-horse team is also coming to the contest from Logan Brothers, of Gore. This will revive memories of the days of horse ploughing. This team will be housed in a building supplied by Burnett Motors, of Ashburton. The organisers of the contest have also been hoping that an exhibition of ploughing with bullocks may be given by Mr M. Thacker, of Okains Bay. In the same area there will also be an example of the type of feering that is required for the New Zealand championship and also the world contest. This will be close to the fence line so that spectators will be able to see how it is made.