REAPING MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 847, 22 February 1868, Page 14

REAPING MATCH.

A ver^interesting trial of reading ma*jhinea . took., place . at", Avonhead, . near Cfaristchurch, on. the. 28th ; .tiltimo, ..under *fee auspices of the .Canterbury dub, in the. presence of a, large, number 4of spectators. The Canterbury Times, gives a lengthy, report, ..which, ■wo; condense as tfoflows : — • \ -.'• <f The pcene of contest' -was a thirty-four acre paddock; two .acres being 1 allotted to ' machine." "The^crop to be" 'cut was wiieat, somewh" ai'green'and very Seriously damaged by 'blight," bat stilTmost suitablefor the p'urpoae. '. { ,^[' " "' !'//•' : , 1 ." 1 . : . ' J „' " The number. , of "entries jWas originally leu, but taJ3urgBBS_and .Keys', fenteredty ISi Tisch, and one of Samuebon's,* entered. T»y Mr Hargreaves, failed -to.-. putuiir an appearance I,'-'"whilst"'one1 ,'- '"whilst"' one of r ;HornsbyX ■entered by'Mr'Eee'ce, 1 could' not be^put together in -timel : Those actually forked ' aaay, however," be' taUen as^coihbinirig almost all the improvements and systems of working this class 'of implement; '<>The - atations'beingnumbered -were 1 ' drawn' by lot, and'f ell- ■ a8 v f oltow,s "1. HonlisbyV 4 2;'Brigh : am l and-Bickerton,' Berwick ;^^^Bob'msbii J ; Melgurne.'. .%■ ' "Vacant. ?\. Manual ; &^{ Blythe, jPrebbleton VTV T 6)1 iiadera'ony ' phristphurch ; IT, Brigham .andjßi^grton j^Hornsby. . *' A start^cwas* made:- at:-h'al£-paat ; one, the men*:of)enihg!'out'-their"'all6tted land themselves! i i : ' i This wa3. unexpected," and caused a ; "little cbhfilsion'and'misunder3tandii)g,l sqiruj ' takirig m'ojre", and ' others less than ih'eir J qyantity ) : of ground.' When .■a3lljecame j .setlledand,in prcper working •rderthe workwasTcarried u J 'on.'' I sihoothly" ' and exp&ditipjosly.^'f It, sqpn^ became cvi- t | dent that ? oNp. ro\;Horjisbvf^r 0 \;Horjisbvf^ .aelf-deliyery oould not' make -good work, . the < sheaves J>eing much itob'large'and scattered in. the ■"delivery. uiThia was not the- fault of : the machine,^ which, having been'put"togethertuq haste";'aii'd r ttot' i being-" properly underatood ,by''tne iJ meni "was 'in" anything" but t: ;.No. ''^"^Brighain °and 3Jickerton'sVsetf-{deUvery' 'ottki iied • a" large 3nimber^o£ adn'iirers^'.it is ,'an v elegant little anachine,*jl)eautif uliy, finished/.ana} adini-1" arably adaptecl,to small,^occupations" c ' ; . The sheaves;wereiWeli- cut jt of. .good • size,- , and put off in beautiful regularity, and order v It certainly I covered but a- small- space compared' with-'sonie of tlio -others,- bnt for a moderate sized farm it is -a ' very almost 'as'little satisf acas JlohJsßy'i'i.j.lt gilts' many of the amproven^enta'in 'machinery pi .more "recent manufacture. „T!he steayes| u although iairly cut, rVe^e" badly r.deHxe'rejd',/ $> JSlythe's.manual dejiv.ery, although .cut--!fing the sHeayes rather too large, delivered •*hem remarkably well :'• It-is & 'tnodincalion of Messrs 'Bufgess ancVKey's system, &na v fitt'e'd' ! with'a wheel'ori?a i 4b6 > se lperjpendicular.'BKaft ;on"'thej-. dirter" side, By irhich ifieans ; it ( is ,'much^ 'easier "turned/; iihan those ' with fixed "wheels.''' ' .There is' also a seat" for , the i man "engaged , in' delivering „;fche slieay.es, .whiqh increased, facilities for carrying on the work. -BTo» 6, Anderson's manual , delivery ; and also a modification of Burgess and Key's implement,- worke'd 'very" well : it was but little inferior %i> 'No:6 ." "-It is perfect in construction, 1 and. worked 1 smoothly 'and ■comparatively noiseless. j N6. T/Brigham Bickerton's ' Buckeye' 'pattern, ' is a very neat' and" weU .'finished machine,' perfect in .work, .but scarcely "suitable for the colonies. It is said to be a very perfect implement ) in grass mowing. No. 8, Hornaby's, with ,a tip, platform, may have all the remarks respecting No. -7 applied to it. ,• , , ,' „ "" '"„. ','„ ..', '' . " The work was concluded by, some of the machines before, .the- others, 'but the last had completed within about two hours £rom the' commencement. .'lmmediately the reaping was completed, ..the 'draught and breadth of cut of each 'machine were -tested. '• '' ' '-' »[•' *\ •." ••■ -■ Jfo. of Machhie. Draught.' .Width of Cub.

"The' prizes/ we.re,' then ' awarded W follows ,:-rNo. 1 5,' ;Blythe, Prebbleton,' Ist ■prize ; No; . 6, .Anderson, v Ch'ristchurch, 2nd prize. . W.e;did not,, ascertain, owing, ■to the,- late (.termination; of : . the contest,. "whether'jany ■' award . was - <made , for Belf r • •deliverers/ ■ i »>.-.>. *<.*. ■. ■ in <„.;.. ...;...< " This" concluded the competition which; Although'-' slightly unsatisfactory "'in some, xeapects, was still, on the whole, a most •decided Success.'- --But; -even what little' dissatisf actionprevailed was(.in a'measure; 'the i control \of Viihe'' committee,' j The greenness of the '*eropyby preventing the ground, being put' improper order for the contest, was the' 'first drawback , ' and this, being the first attempt by the Club at a match of this kind, the other arrange-

ments.'must necessarily be. more of less deficient. Time and experience can only surmount such' a difficulty) and the Club deserve every praise, for the general sue-, cess of the meeting!" ' 4 ■ *

" " ' • ' '' ■--■■: ft. in. 1 ... not tested. 2 v..-*- ' 44 cwt. :•":•;"'./.•• 4 6 3 -\..v .-'s|ewfc\'« '/«...-'- 4 5 5 <v.. ! ••Si-cwt-it-.' ... 5 7 6 .... .' - 54'cwt.'". 'f ..:• "5 7 7- •'••::. ' ■ 4f-cwfc/ .-.'«■;.: • 410 8' "..'.- * .nof tested.':- ?• '. 4 .'9.