TRIAL OF DEERE PLOUGH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9990, 29 November 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRIAL OF DEERE PLOUGH.

At Mr. Patterson's farm, Otahuhu, on Nov 27, a Held exhibition of tho "Jno. Deere" ploughs was held under the auspices of B. Portsr and Co., who are tho sole agents in the North Island for the manufacturers of the celebrated John Dsere Plough Company, of Moline, U.S.A. Five different types of ploughs were worked, each type being made to meet tho peculiarities of different soils, 'and economic conditions to be generally mot with on a farm. Tho first furrow wus opened by a small nineinch stool beam plough, provided with hardenod steel mould-board, the lines of which are curved in a manner to insure a maximum amounb of work with tho least draft in difficult sticky soil. This plough was originally designed to meot the wants of the so-called "black waxy lands of Texas," the nature of which, suggested by the above title, offered difficulties in the way of scouring which the John Deere "Texasßanger" plough series was destined to overcome! for the first time in the plough history of Texas. Since then the "Texas Ranger" ploughs has conquered new fields in Central and South America, South Africa, and Eastern Australia. Aside from its adaptability to extremely difficult soils, tho " Texas Ranger" is made in small sizes, that commend themselves to the horticulturist as well as the agriculturalist. The next plough to follow, was a single furrow steel beam plough, with 13-inch cut, the mark of which, "General Purpose," designates its general uso in all kinds and conditions of soil. Although the makora simply claim for their "Uonoral Purpose" series of ploughs, that it will do excellent work only in some kind of soils, but fair work in all, the work done by the plough used on this occasion, proved that the claim for excellent, work in all kinds and conditions of soil might be mudo without the slighter fear of its being belied in practical field work. This plough was followed by a steel beam plough, designated A.8., 15-inch cut, a plough specially adapted for old .ground and stubble ploughing, and certainly it has seldom been tho privilege of a farmer, to 800 such clean and bo great an amounb of work done with so little draft, as was seen by those witnessing the performances of tho AB. plough. These throe single-furrow ploughs referred to were exhibited for the purpose of showing the three radically different general which in the main are all-sufficient to meet the ordinary variance in the natures of different soils. The next two ploughs shown instanced the progress that has been mado in tho economic or labour-saving construction of modern ploughs, one being a New Deal singlefurrow wheeled plough, constructed on principles which reduces tho draft, and enable a small boy to do the work which, would, under the old conditions of ploughing with hand ploughs, require the servicos of astrongman. Ths other wasa three-furrow gang plough,cuttingacombined swathe of3o inches, and this with an animal force which, when applied to the old system of hand plough, would barely suffice to do only 20 inches. The plough is so simple of construction that on« man caii manage ib and tho horses with loss oxortion than ho would be called upon to bostow on an ordinary hand plough that does but half the work. Space does not permit us to detail at length the great ingoniousness displayed by the makers in insuring all sorts of adjustments without impairing the strength of the machine which can never bo disassociated from simplicity in construction. All Jno. Deere ploughs havo steel mouldboards, shares, and landsides, which are hardened by a process known only to tho manufacturers.

: The sheep returns of the colony for the year ending 30th April last show a decrease of 401,225. : . ... • . ... .