PUBLIC TRIAL OF HORNSBY'S PATENT HEDGE-CUTTER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 126, 29 June 1881, Page 4

PUBLIC TRIAL OF HORNSBY'S PATENT HEDGE-CUTTER.

The trial of the above machine came off as advertised, in Mr. Livingston's woolshed paddock, on Saturday afternoon. The weather was rough and stormy, and frequent cold rain showers hindered most people from attending. About a doEen farmers and settlers, however, were present, and braved the weather, partly for the sake of seeing a new instrument in work, and partly, also, no doubt, to show that they recognised the enterprise of Mr. Thos. Scott, the importer of the machine. Hornsby's patent hedge-cutter may be briefly described as an instrument much resembling a reaping machine, with the culter bar and knives suspended Borne seven feet off the ground from a horizontal arm. This arm strikes out from the body of the machine at a level with the seat of the driver, and is connected with gearing wheels set in motion by teeth, which are cast upon the inner rim of the near-side wheel of the two which support the machine when in motion. There are two sets of bevelled gearing wheels, one at the elbow of the arm, and the other at the attachment to the knives. The arm which supports the knives works in a socket at right angles to the pole, and can be readily adjusted by the pilot of the machine so as to cut che required distance into the hedge. Both the arm and the culter-bar work at the angles of attachment in a sort of ball-and-socket joint, and can be raised by an adjust- ~ ing screw to cut at any height and any angle, which may be required. The instrument is very strong and massive, and although the trial was not altogether successful, every man on the ground seemed quite satisfied that it would do its work well if sufficient power were attached. On Saturday ther« were two strong and useful plough horses harnessed to the machine, but they were only grassfed, and were not quite equal to the task allotted to them. After many stoppages, it is true, they succeeded in cutting one length of about ten chains of hedge. But it was only in one or two places where the gorse was cut back as close as would be generally required by land-owners in this district. When the knives came into contact with sticks from three-quar-ters of an inch to an inch in diameter, the draught was too much for the team, and it stopped, although one or two sticks quite an inch through were severed. The machine, in fact, proved itself amply strong enough for the work, and otherwise suitable. Although the ditch was about 3ft. 6in. wide, and the draught somewhat too great for the team, at no time did either the near-side wheel or the near horse get into or even too close to the ditch. Opinions were divided as to whether three horses or four would generally be required for the work. On rough ground, probably, the latter would be needed, out on grass paddocks, where the ground is fairly level, three would most likely be sufficient. Several of those present expressed an opinion that after a day or two's work, the machine would run much more easily, the horses would also become more used to the kind of work, and that then three horses would be found ample. If the proprietor should find this to be the case, it might be worth his while to give another* public exhibition of the hedge-cutter, so that settlers may see and pudge for themselves of the capabilities of the instrument ; at the same time, he would do well to make a prior arrangement with the clerk of the weather, so as to secure a finer daj than Saturday last.