INTER-COLONIAL EXHIBITION IN SYDNEY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 15, Issue 1194, 7 October 1870, Page 3

INTER-COLONIAL EXHIBITION IN SYDNEY.

The detailed description, in the Sydney Herald, cf tbe various exhibits, is exceedingly interesting. We extract the following, under the head — SECTION. XIII.- — IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINEEY. j In this section Messrs. P. N. Russell and Co. exhibit an 8-horso power portable steam-engine, made. by Messrs. Robey and Co., and it works a six-inch Appold's patent centrifugal pump, to which are attached two sheep-washing spouts under pressure, the power being given by the pump. With these pumps there is no necessity to have a large and expensive tank to get a head of water equal to seven or eight feet. The pipe to which the spouts are fixed can be regulated so as to give the required pressure from fivo to nine feet, the surplus water passing back through a pipe to the pump well. Several improvements have been effected in this machine ; and ifc can be made to supply from two to twenty -fivo spouts. The spouts are fitted with brass regulating lips. They also show a portable ten-inch Appold patent centrifugal pump, which is fixed on a carriage, and can be used as an irrigator or for sheep-washing. This pump will supply from 1200 to 1500 gallons per minute, and ifc is well adapted for use on stations subject to floods. Messrs. Russell and Co. exhibit-two wool presses — one for packing bales on the end, with improved', arrangement for working, and the other a compound rack press for packing bales on . the side ; a hay press, and four corn shellers. We are informed that this firm has lately commenced the manufacture of the article last named for the purpose of working up the timber which would otherwise be wasted from their saw-mills and carriage factory, and that a hundred shellers a month can be matie by them at a less price than the American imported article. Tho exhibits from Mort's Dry Dock and Engineering Companj in this department comprise the sheep-washing machine invented by Mr. Basset, but arranged and made by them. The machine consists of a doublo centrifugal pump, one half pumping warm, the other cold water. There are two tanks, each .18 ft. x 8 ft. x 4 ft. By this machine the sheep are taken up an inclined plane from the soak tank on an endless band, and passed through a circular spout, from which the warm water issues in the form of a collar. They are then carried on by the belt through a similar cold water spout, and deposited in the cold tank ; the speed at which they travel and the time they are kept in the spouts being under the control and regulated bj' the man in charge. The machine is. fitted on wheels for travelling, and each of the large tanks is made in three pieces, which are so constructed that one packs inside the other for moving about. B} this machine a great deal of manual labour is clone away with, and it is said that a much larger number of sheep can be done per day than by any of tho previous systems. The firm likewise exhibits a spout for sheep-washing, with straight jet, with improved method of adjustment, being very simple, aud capable of regulating the discharge to the sixty-fourth of an inch. Norton's patent tube-well, with drivinggear complete, is on the ground. The size of the pipe being 1£- inch. Tho company are agents for the patentee. They also show a 5-inch delivery centrifugal pump, capable of delivering 400 gallons a minute. The prize for the besfc collection of agricultural implements and machinery has fallen to the well-known firm of Messrs. J. Robinson and Co., of Melbourne. Their exhibits represent a very important proportion of the goods of that class sent in. For separate machines they have gained ten first prizes. For the following articles, viz., a patent side deliveiy reaping machine, which delivers on a sellacting principle the cut crop into sheaf tt the side of the machine ready to tlie binders baud. 2nd, a stripping machine, with patent lever comb ; this machine threshes the corn out of the standing stalks, and leaves it ready for bagging. 3rd, a mowing machine, with steel folding finger-bar ; the construction of this implement of wrought iron ond steel was much commended. With a pair of light horses it professes to cut one acre per hour. 4t'u, n horse hay rake, with improved lever, with which a boy can rake thirteen acres a day. sth, a threshing and cleaning machine, with straw elevator, adapted for travelling and receiving motion from horse-power or small steam-engine ; capable of threshing out 400 bushels por daj. 6th, a seed-sowing machino for aiding in the cultivation of artificial grasses ; this sows grass seeds on maiden soil, works with one horse, and will seed ei<.ht to ten acres daily. 7th, a wino press, wrought with lever aud screw ; the improvements consist in its circular revolving cylinders, which deliver the refuse, and enable it thereby to perform an increased amount of work. Bth, au oat or malt bruiser, with smooth rollers, with a capacity of crushing one bushel of grain every minute. 9lh, a set of swingle trees, adaptable to either two or three horses, and distributing the power of the draught equally. The 10th was for the largest and best contribution of that kind. The value of the exhibits aro over £1000, and embrace most of the machines in use for agricultural purposes. They have also received a number of highly commended certificates. Among their exhibits they also show, for the first time in Sydney, the M'Cotnas waterlil'ter ; these apparatus have received very general attention in Victoria, and combine great strength and simplicity, with a power of throwing a largo volume of water. Tho' one in work lifted 'with one man's hand eighty gallons each minute of working, from a depth of fourteen feet. A large one is expected to bo in motion to-morrow. Theso waterlifters, as they are termed, have attracted the attention of the squatters in Victoria, and havo been highly spoken of through the Press. Mossrs. Joseph Wilding and Company, of Melbourne, show a largo collection of farming implements whicli are exceedingly attractive in appearance, and which no doubt combine strength and durability with lightness and elegance of construction. We may particularise a patent wove press which has a travelling top box, a movable side to the bottom box, and the screw of which is worked by wheel gearing. There are two thrashing machines, ono for four horses and the other for two. One of them can be worked by four horses in circular power, or by two horses in a tread power. There is a chaff-cutter which cau be worked with one or two handles, and is aduptcd to cut two lengths of chaff without changing the wheels. They also show a two-horse, circular power, a railway horso tread power for two-horses mounted on four road-travelling wheels, a treble action root cutter, sheer, and pulper, for hand or horso power, a set of chain harrows, a cultivator, a reapiug machine, a horso hoe, a corn cracker, a corn crusher, a set of three-horse swingtrees, and doublo-furrow plough. In connection with Messrs. Wilding and Co's exhibits are two ploughs made by Lennon, of Melbourne, which are highly spoken of, but could not be entered for competition as a package containing a portion of their fitt ngs was left behind by tho steamer. 'J hese exhibitors obtained two prizes, two certificates of commendation, and four recommendations for prizes. Their exhibits are worked by a portable

engine shown by Mossrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Company, Margaret street. F. Lassetter and Co.'s exhibits comprise three specimen- of wire fences. Fencing wire having becomo an everyday article on sheep and cattle stations, it has been thought worth a special class in the society's schedule. The durability and comparative cost of this description of fencing are matters of great interest to the pastoral community, and these exhibits merit careful attention, and will probably form the subject of much discussion. Strainers are attached, so that the toughness of the wire can be tested. Messrs. Lassetter and Co. have, we obsoive, published a table, enabling any person to estimate for themselves the cost of fencing, and the information which it contains will, no doubt prove acceptable to many. Their collection of pumps comprises a groat variety, from the small size domestic suction pump upwards. We may, however, notico one of particular utilily, namely, a force-pump, with horso works attached, which is capable of lifting about five thousand gallons an hour. It is one of Warner's make, and can be mounted on wheels, and moved about or worked by ono horse, without the additional trouble and expense of horse gear. The water cart shown by this firm is on a new plan. It can be usod for the ordinary purposes of conveying water, and can bo instantaneously converted into either an irrigator, or in caso of fire bo made to act as a small fire engine, throwing out a good stream of water of conssderable force, with the power applied by man. The same firm also entered in this section a large collection of horticultural tools ; many of which being of superior workmanship, could not bo exposed on the ground, and wore therefore shown in the Exhibition building. Here also is a valuable lot of tools, selected specially with reference to the requirements of sheep and cattle stations. The collection of dairy utensils comprised a variety of churns, and indeed every articlo requisite in a dairy, from a cheese press downwards. Tliis firm had on the ground a largo number of farm implements, not entered for competition, but which will well repay careful inspection. Five prizes fell to the exhibits of this firm. Mr. Samuel Lucas shows four machines, whicli have boen made by him at Ashfield. The firsfc which attracts attention is his sheep-washing machine, which is intended to be worked by four horses and a chain pump. It is fitted with thirty-six brass jets, und simultaneously delivers as many streams of water upon tho sheep. With a good supply of water, it is capable of washing from 150 to 180 sheep per hour. B3 r the employment of steam-power, the height of the water can be raised from eight to sixteen feet. By tho sido of tho sheep-washing machine Mr. Lucas has one of his wool-presses, which is fitted with two racks, aud is sufficiently powerful to put down as much wool as would burst any ordinary pack. Two men and a boy can press twenty bales a day by this press. Then there is whafc Mr. Lucas calls his " back heaver cleaning machine," which, fitted with sieves of various degrees of fineness, will winnow any description of grain. Mr. Lucas's other exhibits consist of a four horso-powor machine, which can be applied to several useful purposes, such as sawing wood, pumping water, &c, and a barrel- churn, which can bo worked by horso-powor or hand, and is capable of churning from 70 lbs. to 80 lbs. of butter. Mr. John Bunclo, of Parksido Ironworks, North Melbourne, has four wellfinished, machines, ou the ground, which have been designed aud made by him. His two-horse or steam-power chaff-cutter is constructed with a wooden frame, instead of cast iron as most English machines ; and it has therefore this advantage thai, should any part of it get out of order by wear or breakage, ifc can be replaced. The mouth of the machine is also supplied with a movable steel plate, which can bo removed at a trifling cost. The machino has three knives, and they work with great power and steadiness. The arrangement of the knives is superior to that in most importod machines. The straw is not driven before them, bufc their particular sweep enables them to cut the straw as ifc passes through the machine. It is fitted with an improved sifting apparatus, which sifts the chaff roady for bagging, and it has an endless band for removing the chaff from under the sieve. Another pretty little machine shown by Mr. Bunclo is his double corn " cracker," which appears to be a very compact and effective contrivance. One side of the machine is fitted with tooth rollers similar to those employed in bone mills, which crack the maize without reducing ifc to flour. The othor half of the machino is called a corn " crusher," and the rollers are constructed Ibr operating upon wheat, oats, or' olher small grain. The two machines, here combined in one, occupy scarcely more room than one ordinary machine, and the construction is such, that by the adjustment of ihe driving pinions, the "crusher" and the "cracker" can be worked together or separately. This exhibitor shows two smaller machines, constructed on the same principle as the two we have mentioned. Mr. Runcle's two exhibits, in class 461, took tho prizo and high commendation. Mr. James H. Hutchinson showed an interesting contrivance for carrying buttor in those parts of the colony whero packhorses are the usual moans of conveyance. The packers are boxes made of Maryborough pine, with brass fasteners, binges, &o. ; aud they are worthy of commendation for their neat and woll finished appearance, as woll as from the fact that thoy are likely to bo very useful. Each packer is fitted with sliding shelves, which, together with the top and bottom surface, aro perforated, so as to admit of water trickling through them. By this means the butter may be kept cool and sweet. Mr. R. Reilly, ironmonger, of Georgestreet, exhibited a glass case in tho building, containing sheep shears by best makers. His collection of horticultural, pruning, and garden implements was not entered for competition, but nevertheless was highly commonded by tho judges. It inoluded agricultural and draining tools, croquet chairs and tables, lawn mowors, water and liquid manure barrows, garden rollers and garden engines, family wine arid cider mill, with press combined ; American carriage jack. In front of the dais are two handsome bronze flower vases filled with flowers, and lent to the Society to ornament the edifice. Mr. David Edwards, Melbourne, is the exhibitor of a patont land cultivator, which covers about four feet of ground, and which is constructed to allow of the tines being moved from ono side to tho other, by which moans thoy sharpen themselves. Some of thorn can thus be thrown out of gear whon special circumstances may require it. This cultivator is said to thoroughly pulverise the ground to any required depth, and can bo mado for two, threo, or four horses. He also shows a sot of strong harrows ; and of the doublefurrow ploughs, thut shown by Mr. Edwards obtained tho first prize. Mr. Joseph Nicholson, of Melbourne, has three good exhibits on tho ground, namely, an improved self-acting side delivery reaping and mowing machino, which loaves a clear path for the horsos, so that the whole crop can be cut without binding any of the sheaves; an improved mowing machino, capable of mowing an acre por hour ; and an improved patent back delivery reaping machine, whioh haa ob-

tained numerous prizes, and is said to work well. Mossrs. T. Henderson and Cj.'s of Molbourne, winnowing machine, wish spike roller and revolving separator, won the first prize ; ond they also show a stripping machine with patent lever comb, well worthy of attention ; together with a drill grubber with harrow, made extra strong, for vine or sugar cane culture.