USE OF ELECTRICITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21555, 28 July 1933, Page 14

USE OF ELECTRICITY

PLANT AT KOTHAMSTEI) MODERN FACILITIES ECONOMY OF POWER Experts were invited to the Hothamsted Experimental Station at Harpcnden recently to inspect electrical and rubber appliances in use on tho farm. Tho station has been co-operating with j British electrical firms and material ; lias been in use long enough to justify Inn expression of opinion.on its utility As far as electrical appliances arc con- • corned it is possible that New Zealand is further advanced than Great Britain. However, British farmers arc becoming more interested in the use of electricity and this led the director of Potljainstcd, Sir E. John Russell, to equip the farm ; with apparatus of the most up-to-date design with a view to making comparisons with other methods from the prao--1 ticnl farmers' point of view. Standard overhead lines have been carried on to the property and a suh- , station, with a transformer, has been ; built in tho farm buildings. An ample I number of plug outlets lias been proj vided so that the full benefits ol elocI trilieation are available in all parts of the farm buildipgs. The connections to the power sock6ts are of various noninterchangeable types to prevent the connection of portable appliances to the wrong supply. Pumping Appliances Tho windmill which pumped the water to the farm tank is now at rest. A 4 li.p. motor has been installed to do tho pumping. A float-switch control in the overhead tank automatically stops tho motor when the tank is full. It is only necessary for a man to start tho motor in the morning, and pumping ceases immediately tho full storage capacity of the tank is reached. Another pumping application is that in connection with the handling of liquid manure, which is collected in an underground tank. A non-cbokeable electric pump is installed for raising tho liquid manure from tho tank to the tank-cart. In tho barns a number of electric machines are in use. For tho grinding and crushing mill a motor of slow speed, running at 575 r.p.m., has been installed. The motor and grinder are mounted on a bedplate, with the motor cnupled direct to the driving shaft of tho mill, thus eliminating any intermediate transmission of speed-reduction gearing. For driving machines such as rootpulpers and other seasonal drives, for which a fixed motor is not considered necessary, avertable drumotor is used. This machine has the distinction of being the first electrical appliance to be awarded a silver medal by the Koyal Agricultural Society. It is shaped as a drum, with flanges nt each end, so that it may bo rolled along from place to place. Folding feet arc fitted for holding the machine in position when driving, and on the drum may bo coiled tho four-core rubber-sheathed flex. Other small motors are installed for such operations as cake-breaking, 'winnowing, potato-sorting and grindstones. Installations lor Grooming Threshing is carried out in the Dutch barns and UO-ampcro plugs have been installed to furnish power for a portable 20 h.p. slip-ring motor, running at !)(30 r.p.m. This is mounted on a fourwheeled truck with wide-rimmed wheels. The advantage of this and other electric machines is that 110 more power is used than is nocessary. Even tho 20 h.p. motor may bo applied to a process needing only 4 h.p., and there is little or no waste of power. Horses are groomed with a portable electric groomer. This appliance follows the principle of the vacuum cleaner. The motor and dust-bag are strapped to the waist of tho groom. It is suggested the groomer may be used for cows as well as horses, especially where first-quality milk is desirable. Naturally, with'this method of grooming, there is no dust. For use in conjunction with electric milking machines is a la-gallon storage water-heater, 'fhcro is also an electric sterilising steam-chest. All that is demanded to sterilise utensils efficiently is to place them in the chest and switch on the current. After an hour sterilisation is completed.