CHATS WITH FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2360, 18 May 1899, Page 7

CHATS WITH FARMERS.

CHEAP PLOUGHING.

AT this season of the year the variotti makes of plough, with cost of purchase, up keep, and dVaught, naturally evokes a good deal of discussion. With horses- high and grain low, economy in farming is essential, and the demand for a -light draught, durable all-round plough has never been-W great as it. is at present. An interview with Mr Oatway, the principal agent for the Dux, may therefore prove interesting.

" What do you find the feature most appreciated by users ? . " Well, that's asking a lot in a very short; sentence. I find that each district favours an implement which is especially suitable to its own requirements.' One set of farmers lay stress on the fitness of 'a plough for hillside work, its ability J;o stick in the ground, and not to- slide bodily out of the furrow ;• whilst another set -will inquire most* closely into the capacity to turn over a considerable acreago on a small draught. Our factory makes a specially all-round plough, suitable for any and every class of work in any kind of country — one which represents the highest grade of workmanship, knowledge and manufacturing experience, plus the advice of capable local agriculturists who have watched and used this plough for two or three seasons. It taken. three years to bring the Dux to its present perfect state — perfect v f or lea,"- turnip, stubble, swamp or tussock; and so we cater for the whole. We- have them on Greenfield and Hillend, hilly country, where they are found to be indispensable, and with equal ciedit on the Waimea Plains."

" Caw you vary your furrow f"

"•Decidedly. We plough from 3in to Bin or 9in in depth, and from 7in to llin or 12in in width. The alteration is simply and instantly made. A plough which would not alter the width of its furrow would not suit New Zealand farmers — would, in fact, be a generally useless implement."

'■ Has the Bux a steering gear f" \ "Yes. Up to the present season we have never supplied one, and many users say it is unnecessary, and a waste of money. You see, our plough is well balanced, and runs evenly upon its wheels; but,* at the same time,- 1 am supplying steering-rods for those who need them. .As man I recognise the importance of-«ending out just what is wanted. Gears now going out are locally made, and can be delivered at a few hours' notice. Any farmer taking the plough as it is, and desiring to add the steering-rod afterwards, can get it for the cost of making ; » or, if he waits until those on order arrive, they will be stipplied at 21s each."

"That brings us to the matter of cost, flow do you compare with the New Zealand makers l

"Well, our double-furrow sells 'at £11 10a and treble at £16 165. New Zealand prices are very much higher — generally one-third] or more. Our price includes revolving swivel coulters and not the naked plough only. They are so designed that the treble can have onß furrow detached if needed (and thus be used tis a double), or a third furrow can be obtained at any time for addition to the double. Tho oost to the farmer is precisely the same if he buys his double-furrow and afterwards adds the third furrow. lam delivering theso extra furrows now for 1897 or 1898 ploughs at £5 5s each."

" Are there not cheaper imported ploughs ? "

" No, certainly not. There are ploughs which sell at lower prices, and oiv any long terms ; but a comparison tells its own tale. I have never been* able to get enough of the Dux to supply the- demand, and yet I have no salesmen or travellers out. Farmers are cute enough to know that they have to pay for all the running about the country that is done, and that they cannot get value in the implement if the price has to cover the interest and risk of long credits and a wasteful and unnecessary expenditure as well."

" What about draught t "

" Ah, there we shine. A four-hourse team will work our treble-furrow with greater ear-o than New Zealand or English double-furrows, and therefore ~ there is an addition of onehalf to the work done without any extra expense. On very hilly stations a fifth horse is sometimes added ; but ordinarily four horses on average land are equal to .4£ to 5 acres per day. A farmer who owns a four-horse team should use the Dux treble. For a three-horse team the double Dux is the best all-round plough obtainable. If an extra horse is available at any time, the third furrow can be procured f*>r regular use or as a stand-by. If you look up the testimonials published you will see that in one case the ploughs are shown to have cleared themselves in a season, whilst in another a well-known Riversdale resident certifies that he put' four horses each into two of our trebles and one of the best makes of colonial double, and there was no difference in the quality of the work done or in the crop — the Dux turning up three furrows to the other's two. These are facts which cannot be disputed."

"J suppose you are importing very largely this year?"

" Yes, I've landed three shipments, and have two more afloat. I had to refuse orders ia all directions last season — sometimes eight and ten in a day — so tliis year's shipments art' three times greater than those of any Iwj former years put together." "/ suppose farmers can see the Dut in country districts'!"

" Certainly They can see them at work in almost every district; and in a day or two when the agency ploughs are got away they will be able to see them at Oamaru (Darling and Milne). Milton (J. A. Duthie and Co.), Lawrence (Herbert and Co.), Balclutha (Dalgety and Co., Limited, and H. T. Bain), Gore, Invercargill and Riversdale (Tothill, Watson and Co). Heriot (Todd Bros, and Co), Riversdale (J. M'Dougal), Tapanui (W. Quin), Wyndham (I. W. Raymond), Arrowfcown (R. Pritchard), Athol (Das. Reid), Mataura (J. Maw), Midlemarch (G. M'Donald), and elsewhere ; whilst city orders can be sent direct or through Wright, Stephenson and Co., D. Reid and Co., Dalgety and Co., Limited, Farmers' Agency Co., Limited, Stronach Bros, and Morris, or Murray, Roberts and Co." " What about a single furrow t" " Well, there it is, look, complete, with swivel revolving coulter foi £6 10b. Th. finest plough in the world, I fancy. Winner of the Scottish Championship, with a sale of over 3000 ploughs annually in that conservative country ; winner of prizes everywhere, including the United States, which is rather a difficult field for a Canadian plough to enter. In Canada its record is unique. In one important match where the Massey-Harris Co.. offered two of their ploughs to su"nlement tha prize money both were won by the Dux. 1 could show you yards of prize records, bul| Bur-posa you have had enouih."