TRIAL OF HOWARD'S DIGGING PLOUGH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 4674, 22 May 1890, Page 4

TRIAL OF HOWARD'S DIGGING PLOUGH.

About 30 farmers were present at Mr Mitchell'* farm, Studhotme Junction, yesterday, to witness a trial of Howard'* now celebrated digging pioogb. The land fint operated upon waa in stubble, Id which the plough, tot to a depth of no lets than 12[n, rolled on", the broken, crumbliest toll as if it had been dog with a spade, taring the land—in this instance •t least—fit to pot a crop In without farther working. Four bcrics were in tbe team, and did the work required with comparative cam. A disposition was shown to see the ploogh at work on grass laod, hut none w available. A shift w*», however, made to aa adj >lnlng paddock, where the soil *« tirc.3 aa •tiff as that previously worked, and here, with a depth of Gin to Bin iho plough gave squrirygood revolts General satisfaction was exprca3*d at the manner the plough did the work required, one or two present being crideotly greatly taken with the new Implement, and ventured to predict that It would sooner or later supersede the ordinary double-furrow. Tho folljwing U a mlauta description of the ploogh:—ln front of tho shares proper and the mould boards there ore =kim coulters—arrow-headsd In shape, and with wings set at an aogie to landward. Those skim coulters are the great factors in ••breaking" tho soil, and civing to the plough the characteristic tf "digging." They ruthlessly «e»r up tho earth In front of the mould-boards. The shares following tbe skim coulters, having been saved the doty of touching tho upper surface, deal with »he earth lower down, and the rather abrupt mould-boards receive the soil from both, and pass It oo In a graceful, shower of pulverised earth, laying It down as a spadesman would, but with only the merest hint of i furrows. Tbe ground is thoroughly pu?veriscd to just the depth tbe plough has been set for. A new feature in tho plough fa ibat nearly ail tbe wearing parts are of chilled Iron and reversible. The share that does the cutting is chisel-shaped, and so small that one outd carry It in his waistcoat pocket. When one aide of it Is worn out it can bo reversed and so worked to death. The total cost of this i share is 6d. Then the sklo-piece on tho breast of tho mould-board is also of chilled I Iron and reversible, so that really a very material saving in plough-irons is effected. The implement can, if desired, bo readily converted into an ordinary. Mr James Keld, Oamaro, la the local agent.—Waimate Times.