TRIALS OF REAPERS & BINDERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 438, 14 April 1880, Page 2

TRIALS OF REAPERS & BINDERS.

(From the : &Z. Country Journal). Several exhibitions and trials M\,m ■ useful implements have taken place jtpnj; the past harvest, embracing one' aide, Fendaltown, under the auspicSWiL the Canterbury Agricultural and Association on January 26; the next took place at A»hburtoh,Qn January 28 y, then at Oamafu on.February 5; at'Timaruou Saturday, February 7; and at Invercar-. gill on February 18, under the7außpicea of the Agricultural Association!* of jacjh district. interest attached'to these f trials was of a twofold character—the struggle between wire and twine, and the keen interest taken by the farming community as lo the results. An uneasy feeling existsinthe minds of stookowners that wire is a dangerous element wbe.n introduced into the'stomachs of animals, and few would care to.argue.otherwise-, and' therefore the introduction of those machines capable of using twine insteadof wire,;was looked forward to withkeen' interest by "all those concerned. ■•■'■ We are' now in a position to give', some factß' : as to the result of the various trials held, which were not always thesama, owingdoubtless to the existence of different-conditi6ns].as., will be. seen from, the following- record" :-r -,'.;. At.Christchurch there were six machines..; •entored^three v wir#to

the Osborne, McCmiiick, and Wood's wire binders; the Johnston, Deering mm and Wood's twine bindora. The cr.-j-a used for thetrial were, oats and'v.kn. the former a 70 bushel'crop, and the hit,;.ter*s'{jlnated at-fjQ.bushels per/acre, the .... straw in both cases being four to- six fett Jong. Themachints were placed us fol- ■ 'lows:—The-Johnston Harvester, string ..'-binder-, Ist, and .the Association's'Cnp, ) .Valuers. The McOoruiick wire binder /•■■ received the highly cominended;-and ; the •Seering string binder, commended. ' The jjßtrini; used by the Deering machino was Hknufactured by Mr Seed of ihe Rangiora "Works; and seemed to uniwer the put pose admirably/Upwards of 1500 fai;niers„ and .others visited the grounds, including the Lincolnshire delegates, At Abhburtqn'jthe-same machines were •" present in both classes, as at Christchurch. The crops were one of Tuscan and velvet wheat, both heavy crops, The work of the whole of the "machines was of excellent quality; the string binders attracting the largest share of attention. The awards were made as follows: IString Binders, Deerinr 1, Johnston, 2; Wire Binders,'MoOorrnick. At Oahiaru. the contest for the Associa- ■ tions'ten guinea gold medal not being open to competition, except to those' machines which had been, exhibited at the • Association's recent show, only three .. rnachiues were olegible, viz., theMcCormick, the Harvest King, and the Osborne ' The first prize was awarded to-the McCor- . mict, and the second to the Harvest King —the Osborne machine arriving too late for entry. For the special prize, open to ' all comers, there were three competitors —McCormick Wire Binder, and the JohnBton and Deering Twine Binders. The ... Judges'placed the machines in the followrag:order' i-Deering's String finder, Ist, and the; Association's gold 'medal; McCornnck's Wire.Binder -2nd; John.Bton'sStringbirider.3. .Although not in y competition, Wood's String Binder was at work during' the day, the work done •showed results equal, to anything in the field, the advantage of the driver being, able to take his time -was illustrated in. this instance by the neatness and regula--.'rity of the work done. • . . - -At Timaru there were seven machines entered for competition, the three Twine Binders already referred to, and the same Wire Binders, including the Deering. ' The Wood's Wire Binder did not, . however,get to work, being anew machine, and -not properly, mounted. The crop was oats, and .averaged 6 feet of straw, which tested the capacity of the machines to the utmost. . The judges gave their decision as follows:—Wood's String Binder, 1; and Osborne's Wire Binder, 2. • At Invercargilll, the Marsh Harvester • . with the Deering Binder made magnificent woiki hot a single band breaking. The first prize of a gold medal was awarded to the machine entered by Messrs Ma;on and : Struthera, of Ohristchurch, worked by their own man. The secorid prize fell to . an Osborne Wire Binder. 'Following the results of the several ,' trials of the machine's Under consideration, it may fairly be claimed for the string. binders that.they have-aqhieved a large ~' shate of success, the principle of construction has been shown .to be correct, and . • the improvements .necessary • are simply matters of detail. As, regards the cost per acre of twine, as'compared with wire, ' there seems to be liitie, if any difference, each .costing from 2s per. acre upwards, according to the. bulk of the crops, The after effects of the twine in the straw when it comes to the chaffcutter remains to be seen.