DOBBIE'S PATENT BROADCAST SEED SOWER.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2211, 2 June 1879, Page 2

DOBBIE'S PATENT BROADCAST SEED SOWER.

The public trial of the above will take placo on the farm of Mr John Turnbull, White Rocks, to-morrow, at 1 o'clock. Very complimentary testimonial* have been received by the iirm of Dobbie Bros., of Adelaide, as to the qualifications of the sower for the work which it has to perform. It will be seen, on reference to an advertisement in another column, that one of theso testimonials comes from a local farmer, and on that account will no doubt carry more weight with it. The following is the substance of tl;e repqrt of a f rial which took place in South Australia ; " Last Thursday a largo gathering of j farmers took place on the farm of Mr W. J. Yenning, Crystal Brook, to witness a public trial of Messrs A. and J. Dobbie's patent seed sower, in which they hare very recently effected several important improvements. The improvements consist in doiug away with the necessity of a leather belt, by using a pair of bevel co%whoels. The result of this is that the machino is reduced in size to such an extent that it occupioK little more than onothird of tho room of tho old pattern. It •lfo prevents the possibility of slipping, to wh{ch tfyo leather bejt was liable. The effect of reducing the suo of the 'machine gives it a much stronger and more com* pact appearance Just ns the trial was about to take place, a Mr Brown suddenly appeared on tho ground with one of Hawke'i seed sowers, and challenged Sir A. W. Dobbie (who wm present to conduet the trial). Mr Dobbie beity quite agreeable to tho sudden turn things had token, allowed Mr Venuing to bring out the old pattern sower to sow against Mr Hawke's. Tlie ground being all marked out, tho company elected three jmlges from amongst themselves. Everything being in readiness, at a given signal both floyety started sjmultanoously. Many of the younger formers followed up tHe garU containing the seed sowers, to watch their action, whilst tho elders followed more eisurely, carefully examining the work , performed by the machines. The quality of the work was very freely discussed by those present. On the completion of the round the judges carefully measured the ground sown by each sower, and otherwise critically examined the word done. After a few minutes deliberation, the judges auiuounced their verdict, which was as follows : 'We unanimously ogive to, award the decision in favor of the Dobh)* sower, for Hip following reasons. Vl4. ; First, the Dobbie sower has distributed the grain much more evenly than the

Hawke, and has also covered a width of 99 feet in the one round, whilst the Hawke only covered 81 feet in width.* Mr Dubbio now brought out the new pattern, and sowed a round, after which tho farmers examined its construction, and expressed themselves well pleased with the improvement*." Thos* who take an interest in the improvement of labor-saving machinery for the farm, should not miss the opportunity which will be afforded them to-morrow. The place whore the trial is to take place is within easy distance of a railway station.