TRIAL OF AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 767, 7 November 1870, Page 3

TRIAL OF AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.

♦ r The first really proper trial of agricultural implements entered for competition at the annual exhibition of the Agricultural and Pastora] Association, took place on Saturday, on some old etubble land (Mr Sutherland's) near the Opawa railway station. Last year it will be remembered, implements were tested previous to the show, but it was only of a partial character, and anything but satisfactory to the respective competitors. All the implements on that occasion were tested witb the same man and the same team, but the great increase of colonial makers, and the knowledge that the implements for trial would all be of colonial make, induced the opinion amongst the judges tbis year, that it would be much fairer to afford each exhibitor the opportunity of bringing the team and ■driver used to his implements, also that each implement, as in a ploughing match, should have its own piece of land to work upon. For this alteration the judges are to be commended, and the large increase of entries may be taken as a proof that local makers fully appreciate and agree with this mode of placing them on their merits in the strictest meaning of the word. The trial was arranged and carried out by the Implement judges, who had consented to be formed into a sub-committee for that purpose. They arrived on the ground a little after ten o'clock in the morning, and at once commenced to mark out the lands. Considerable delay was however occasioned by the judges being disappointed of two teams which had been engaged, a week previously. The trial was also prolonged much longer than it ought to have been by reason of those owners who entered two or more implements on the ground, having only one team and man with them, thus some implements had to remain idle whilst others were being tested instead of all being tested at once. This want of teams was muoh to be censured, and it is to be hoped that makers will arrange differently next year. The implements on the ground were as follows : — One 2-wheeled plough by Thome, ZHororata ; two do, by J. Keetley, Kaiapoi ; two do, by J. Blyth, Prebbleton *, one do, by P. Duncan, Christchurch ; one do, by Watson, Lincoln ; and one swing plough, by P. Duncan, Christchurch ; one sub-soil implement — consisting of a sub-soiler attached by a simple process to the back of an ordinary plough — by Mr J. Keetley, Kaiapoi ; one double-furrow (steerage; plough, by Mr Blyth, Prebbleton ; one double-furrow plough (steerage), by Mr P. Duncan ; Christchurch ; one double-furrow plough (handle), by Mr Keetley, Kaiapoi ; one double-furrow plough (handle), by Mr Duncan, Christchurch ; one pair of harrows, Mr Risely ; one do, by Mr P. Duncan, Christchurch ; one skimmer, by Mr J. Keetley, Kaiapoi ; one grubber, by Mr Duncan, Christchurch ; and tbe American gang plongh, imported by Mr Wigley, waa also on the ground, but for exhibition only. All the implements were tested with the dynamometer, but their respective draughts will not be published until the judges' award is known. As this is the most important point in connection with implements, we shall not criticise the work of the ordinary ploughs, but leave such for the official report. We may, however, remark briefly upon the double - furrow ploughs as a comparatively new class of implement, and also upon the gang plough as a novelty in this part of the world. The ploughs were tested with two horses each and registered from 5 cwt to 5| c*wt in draught, thus showing a decided improvement In tbis important matter in comparison with the single-furrow ploughs, whioh average about 3_ cwt in draught. Mr Keetley 'a sub-soil plough registered a three horse draught, but was much admired snd is assuredly a useful implement. It grubbed from 4 to 5_ inches below the ordinary furrow. Mr Bly th's double furrow commanded much attention. It has done a geat deal of work in the province, and on this occasion worked remarkably well. Mr Duncan, in testing his double-furrow ploughs (steerage) was at a disadvantage with bis rivals by not having teams and men well practised in working them. This may be attributed to not being resident in an agricultural district and to being a new maker of them. The result waa, tbat his machine did not work ao evenly as the others. Mr Keetley 's donble-f urrow was a light, useful, and very much improved implement. Mr Duncan's double-furrow (handle) was subject to tbe same disadvantage as the one previously mentioned, though an improvement

in laying the furrow was noticeable in it as compared witb all the other ploughs entered; the draught, of course, we are unable to give. Mr Risely's harrows had a certain improvement with an arch in the beam, which tended to prevent clogging, but they, worked unevenly, the tines being too long and too much hooked. Mr Duncan's harrow worked much more evenly ; the tines were perfectly straight, and had a good length fore and aft. Mr Keetley's skimmer is a very useful implement, entirely of the maker's own invention. Considering the hardness of the soil it worked exceedingly well. Mr Duncan's grubber was tested up, down, and across the furrows, and proved to be a very useful implement indeed, but had one fault in the little wheel being too small and narrow. The American gang plough which we may say is not adapted to breaking up, but only to stubble or fallow work, was tried with a pair of horses, and the difficulty attendant upon its novelty, being surmounted, it was worked with most complete Buccess, so much so, as to surprise everyone present. After being worked on the newly ploughed land, it was taken to some loose land where it was worked to a depth of ten inches. The opinion of those competent to judge was, tbat for such work as we have mentioned (stubble), it is a most useful implement, but for breaking up it ia of no practical use. When once set, a boy can sit upon it and work it the whole of the day, and one pair of horses draw it witb ease. His Honor the Superintendent, and a large number of gentlemen more or less interested in agricultural matters were on the ground.