THE BUCKEYE LOWDOWN REAPER AND BINDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 866, 5 October 1888, Page 5

THE BUCKEYE LOWDOWN REAPER AND BINDER.

(WAIKATO TIMES.) Mr John Owen, of Messrs Morrin and Co., on Tuesday last, had on exhibition at Ohaupo, one of the Buckeye Lowdown reapers and binders, a machine, which at present, is commanding considerable attention in the farming districts of the colony on account of the nearness with which it comes to a perfected harvester. In the first place, the machine only weighs 9001bs, thus being in dead weight about SOOlbs lighter than the general run of harvesters, and consequently there is a good deal of horse labour saved from this cause. A man driving tho machine is able to do the whole of it without moving from his seat, the whole of the levers being within easy reach of b.is hand. As tho weight of the gearing, etc. is mostly all on the platform side of the driving wheel, tho risk of capsizing on even steep sidlings, is reduced to a minimum, W e may here state that this class of machine has been successfully worked in the Southern provinces on ground that is very steep, doing the work as well as any back delivery machine, thus effecting a great saving in manual labour. The measurement of the Lowdown is 10ft 6in, snd therefore it is capable of being moved through any ordinary gateway easily, thus doing away with the necessity of the transport carriage required with the elevator machines. The tightness with which the sheaves are tied gives thiß machine an advantage over most others. When knotting, the sheaf is held close up to the knotter plate, and when relaxed has, instead of six inches, about only three to expand to fill up the band. The plunger bolt, whioh, in the knotter of previous machines, required so much regulation, has been done away, and in the present knotter, should any part get out of gear, it can bo re-adjusted at once. By the permission of Mr W. Hunter, sear., a practical test of the working of the machine was given on some green oats, and the manner in which the cutting and binding were done on the green crop quite convinced those present that the machine was just the one required for this district. Messrs E. W. Mills and Co., Ltd. have only a limited number of these machines on hand, and farmers will require to make early application. The Auckland agents sold out their entire stock, and several orders have been booked for these machines in the South. Pamphlets are obtainable from Messrs E. W. Mills and Co., and the machine will be exhibited at the Carterton and Masterton Shows on the Ist and 23rd November. It will be necessary to bespeak machines before the show, as stocks to arrive are already nearly absorbed.