TRIAL OF THE SPADING HARROW AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3122, 19 July 1892, Page 2

TRIAL OF THE SPADING HARROW AT CAMBRIDGE.

1 A labor number of influential farmers attended and evinced great interest in a trial of tho Oarlylo Spading Harrow, manufactured by Messrs Booth and Macdouald, of Christchurch, which took place on Saturday afternoon. Mr Jas. Taylor kindly provided a team of four horses and the Hrst trial was made in onu of the Domain paddocks that was a mass of twitch. It had been skimploughed four months ago and an ordinary disc harrow would have made very little impression upon it. The implement was first taken over the land on the same way in which it had beeu ploughed and at the first stroke it made better work than the disc would have dons at twice, and returning over the same land it left very little to be desired. It was next tried at right angles to the furrows ; the Hrst stroke fully penetrated and cut the furrows into squares, and tho return completely worked up and pulverised the soil. The next trial was made still more effectual by working diagonally across the ploughing and returning with the harrow lapping halfway across the up stroke. This trial was repeated several times on the most twitchy patches where it was like a mat, and yet with the second stroke it left the land thoroughly worked. There was no choking or clogging, the harrow working in a manner that would satisfy the most fastidious. The implement was then thrown upon its travelling gear, and taken through a rather awkward gateway on to the Victoria road, mid thence to a turnip paddock at the back of Mr Taylor's house. Here the performance of the spading harrow called forth the highest praises of all present. The turnips were left on the surface, and the soil was completely worked, leaving a splendid seed bed. At this work the implement will be a great boon to farmers, as it will considerably lesseu the cost of preparing for grass sowing, leaving as it does a good seed bed without lightening the land as in ploughing, this being a great feature in our light soils. One practical fanner olfered to put in 40 acres of wheat (on turnip land) with this ' implement, he being thoroughly convinced that a crop sown in this manner would yield a better result than if the laud was ploughed. As a further proof of the estimation in which the implement was held, it was not allowed to go off the farm, Mr James Taylor becoming the purclnser. Mr G. J, Neat (Messrs Booth and Macdonald's agent) has wired for a supply of this useful implement, to. be forwarded at once, he only having had the one above referred to sent up to give it a thorough trial.