FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 205, 2 September 1873, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

The double furrow plough is rapidly coming into general use in England. In the report of the recent proceedings of tlip Bithnnd West of England Society, the principal association in that part of the kingdom, it 13 stated that the socvety hud abolished the praotice of gning 'prizes for implements, on the ground that tlw machines were specially prepared, and were no real criterion of the work that could he done. But whilst doing this, the society scoured. that opportunities s'lonld be afforded for seeing the implements at work at every show, »nd the trials at Woodward Farm, Marse Mills, this year have been of great interest and watched by a large number of practical agriculturalists. The chief attraction ip the ploughing fields has been the double-furrow turn- wrest ploujjh of Mr J. Davey, Crafthole, Cornwall, which seems to have successfully solved a problem that has been puzzling the hest implement manufacturers for many a year. In days when reaping and mowing machines are universal, the open furrow left by the old one-way plough is held to be highly objectionable, as, endangering the safety of the best mower Oi* reaper. 1 his implement was brought out at the society's show at Dorchester last year, but since then it has been very considerably improved and simplified, and has been entered for the two-furrow plough competition of the Royal Society at Hull next month. As improved, the plough now consists of a frame of two pair of shares, with a bar for lifting the ■ lares out of the laud. A moving wheel with a spike is so contrived that when dropped too onward motion of the horses does this work, and then the plough becomes so evenly balanced on a pinion that a hoy can turn it round at the headlands. In fallow land two horses work the plough; in loylands or stiff clayey sail it will require three. It did admirable work m the trial fields and was managed with the greatest oase. Messrs Howard, of Bedford, worked their double furrow plough, which is an adaptation of Fowler's steam plough, and J Fowler, Leeds v worked Pivie's plough. As to the beat reaping and mowing machines for actual general work, the same report says :— ln the reaping and mow ing fields all tho best makers w ere represented. Messrs Simuelson, Kearslev, Williams, Brigham, Whiteside, Burgess and Key, and Brenton had mowers at work in rathor a rough field with the grass thiok at the bottom and very short. Tho trial was therefore a good test. Whiteside and Co. had a now implement — a combined Kirhy, an American invention, which did excellent work. Its oluef feature is a jointed connecting rod that follows tho free play of the knife in any position of the cutting apparatus. Wood's iron frame mower and champion reaper, introduced two years since, and Mr Brenton's central-draught combined machine were amongst those which gavo great satisfaction. Messrs Wood, Brenton, Burgess and Key, Pickley and Sims, Brigham and Co., Mattison, Kearsley, Hoxn«by, Suiiuielson, Howard, and Whiteside had about a score of machines at work i-i the reaping field of green rye. The work on the whole was excellent, and the public had the opportunity of judging of the merits of tho various self-rakers, and those wboao delivery was manual. "I cen sympathise," says an agricultural writer, "with a farmer who does not succeed in killing weeds in his fields, or in getting rid of foot-rot or scab in his sheep ; but I have no sort of respect for the man who says that the weeds cannot be killed, or the foot-rot op scab cured. The former simply, it ma}' be, fails for want of energy, promptness, and perseverance, or from ignorance as to the best methods ; but tho lattor, while he may be a good ' practical ' sort of man, is an intellectual dwarf, and is almost as invariably as conceited as he is prejudiced and ignorant."

Friendship between Persons of Different Sbxes. — I am happy to add my testimony in favor of the possibility of a real friendship between persons of different seies. But I think tho art of friendship — a noble art, rightly understood — ia not enough .considered or cultivated in England, it requires, perhaps, more ca^o to keep it free from vanity, selfishness, and every unworthy fcelin<* than love itself; and comparatively few know how well it is worth the trouble. And now let me remind one side that patience, forbeafanoe, and gentleness are great qualities, not pretty ones ; and joined with perseveranco and a clear head, they will win their way more surely than any bhistei". And I must beg the othor sido not to talk as if every woman who hud not the luck to be a wife and mother tmd been placed by Providence in a wrong position. Is there no use in being a good daughter, si*rer, friend, neighbour, mistress, or tn.uden aunt ? Then Miss Nightingale must bo a failure, and the Baroness BurdHtCoults a sham ' — HutFKA, in The Queen. Lady Amateuus in Boating — We hear that the "ladies' match," which was such a success last year, at Surbiton, is to be repeatod this year; and already several boats maj be seen out on tho river with a lad)' at the helm, and a pilot at the bow, ho of course to attend the forpshoet, and keop the boat off tho ground only. At the same tune, the ladies who live down by the river take a great interest in tho boat sailing of the men, and on a Saturday, when the Thames Sailing Club has its matches at Surbitou or Tcddmgton, one may hear a great deal of able criticism issue from the lady specta'ors on the touring path Spelling of these matches rominds us that Mrs Fi nncis Tin ner.of The Lodge, Teddinpton, ha- ofl'creil a 10-guinea prize, in thj form of » locket, fora ennoo s.nhng uutcli, and two (.ailing canoes are building 3}'t.?ial]y lv contend (oi tin. jm 1 Tin Ifrteen.