The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 559, 15 February 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1878.

A FEW facts in reference to reaping and binding "machines will doubtless be"interesting to our l-eaclers. The necessity for the introduction of a machine that would lessen the risks and expenses of farmers became evident to the Government of Victoria, and it offered, a reward of LI.OOO to tfie inventor of a combined reaper and binder. None of the machine makers succeeded in obtaining the bonus. To the Americans, however, whose ingenuity in such matters is unparalleled, was left the production of one of the most remarkable machines ever invented, for Mr. "W. A. Wood, of Hoosie Falls, U.S., America, succeeded in bringing into requisition Mr. Locke's patent binder in connection with his reaper. These and similar machines are now introduced in thousands in the Australian Colonies. The effect lias already been to thoroughly revolutionise fanning wherever these machines have been used. The Melbourne Aiyvs has published the following statistics in reference to reapeis and binders which are peculiarly interesting at the present-

tune: — At present, the est of cut tin- and binding an acre of corn, say wheat, I "> bushels to the acre, l>v a g»"d two-horse side delivery reaping machine, cutting 1- per day, is nearly as follows : A man and boy, per diem ... .-CO IS 0 Two horses, per diem u «■> " Nine tueti, binding, at Ss. ... •"'< I- U C-l IS 0 Or an neariv as possible 7s. Od. per acre, and a fraction tinder tfd. a bushel. By the automatic machine, IS acres per day of the same crop would be cut down, Ik cause its kuiie is 12 inches or IS inches longer than the older machines, aud the account would stand thus : A man driving the machine ... £0 S 0 Two horses <> s °. Wire, at Is. Gd. per acre ... 0l!> o £1 lo d Or a little less than is. Dvd. per ncr.\ and •2.; d. per bushel. The saving to lie etlccted by the new machine is therefore at the rate of about 4s. 1.1 .-id. per acre, or "yd. per bushel, and if we estimate the yield of gram for tht current agricultural year at nine million bushels (onlv a slight increase on the yield of past two years, and fully warranted bv present eircuinstances), there would arise from the universal us..- of the reaper and b : ndcr. a savins or profit of about 1.140,000 in wiiues alone, besides what would be iraim-d" through the harvesting of the- crops exactly at the proper time.