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On this Page 9
New Threshing Machine.
Now the threshing season is over a brief
notice of the newly imported threshing
plants may be of interest to those who con-
template importing, particularly as our
readers will note from Messrs. Hinman and
Wright's advertisement orders should be
placed at once to ensure early delivery.
The greatest innovations during the present
season has been the importation of traction
engines for the double purpose of hauling
the drums on the roads and also driving
them when threshing. Two were this sea-
son imported in the North—one by Messrs.
J. and T. Gunn for Mr Wm. Von Bibra, of
Dunorlan, and the other by Messrs. A. G.
Webster and Son, of Hobart, for Mr Wm.
Edwards, of Bishopsbourne. Both engines
were by leading makers, Mr Von Bibra's
being by Aveling and Porter, and that of
Mr Edwards by Hornsby. Although of
only 6 h. p. nominal, both engines have
proved themselves fully equal to driving a
5ft thrashing drum. The Hornsby has
gained by far the best reputation, partly
perhaps because in certain points it was
actually superior to the Aveling and
Porter, but the chief advantage has been in
the skilful management of Mr Edwards,
who, although at the beginning of the
season only novice with this particular
class of engine, has succeeded in piloting
his plant through an exceptionally difficult
season without a single mishap, the only
difficulty being a district so notorious for
deep ditches and weak culverts, that Mr
Edwards deemed it prudent to use his
portable in preference to risking traction.
We have already given a description of
these engines when reporting on the trac-
tion ploughing plants in operation in the
South, and we need not repeat particulars.
We may, however, mention that in good
hands they are likely to become very
popular, as they will in any reasonable
country move both themselves and their
drum. Mr Von Bibra's engine used at
times to also draw the elevators. As show-
ing the handiness of this class of engine
when in charge of a good operator, we
may mention that Mr Edwards used
first to draw the drum in between the
stacks and place her in position, and thus
without assistance to get his engine set
ready for work before the men had rigged
up the straw carriere. Of course when
once the straw carriers were fixed work
could proceed at once, since steam was
always up. With regard to work on roads
even better results were obtained than is
usual with a full complement of horses or
bullocks, since in the engine, power was
more concentrated, and therefore shorter
turns could be made than with teams. One
special case may be mentioned, that is the
entrance to Mr Murfett's farm at Bishops-
bourne. The gate opensin a rather narrow
lane, and with a horse team it is usual to
stop and make a slow careful turn. Mr
Edwards took his traction plant right
through without difficulty. With regard
to haulage power we may mention that the

6 H.P. engine is calculated on a sound road
to take a load of 12 tons gross up a
grade of 1 in 12. This should be
quite sufficient for all ordinary purposes.
Perhaps, now, after the traction engines,
Ransome's new Australasian thresher de-
serves mention. One of these was im-
ported by Messrs. Harf and Sons, to the
order of Mr C. White, of Allanvale, and
during a very difficult season has acquitted
itself admirably. One of the leading fea-
tures in this drum is the very large
riddling surface which is given in all parts ;
it being impossible to choke the riddles by
any fair usage. The caving riddle is of an
improved pattern, being made in ledges,
so that although the grain is moved by the
forward shake, it cannot go back when the
motion is reversed. In top shoe, two or
even three riddles can be worked, and the
grain on these is subjected to a blast
fixed on the same shaft as hummeller, the
high rate of speed makes such a draught
that all rubbish can be blown out. The
machine is also fitted with one of Hornsby's
patent screens, which can be adjusted to
any desired width. Perhaps, however,
before describing cleaning apparatus, we
should have dealt with threshing parts.
The drum is fitted with Ranaome's patent
reversible beaters, and in the place of
spokes for attracting them to main shaft,
solid discs are uasd. By this means, any
accumulation of dust is prevented, and a
more perfect balance is obtained. The main
bearings for shaft are spherical in form, and
so will adjust themselves to any position.
This is a great advantsee, as should the
main shaft get out of truth through bend-
ing or other accident, the bearings will
align themselves, and so prevent heating.
The straw shakers are on Ransome's well
known rotary principle, and are 17 in
number, thereby securing a thorough
separation of grain from the straw. We
may mention that the Australasian also
contains the best features of Ransome's
reciprocating shaker pattern of machine,
as the lower shoe and blast are on a similar
principle, thereby doing away with the ob-
jectionable practice of blowing the chaff
into close proximity of the bags of clean
grain. After all, the proof of the pudding
is in the eating, and the best proof of
the excellence of the Australasian will be
found in visiting the farms on which it has
thrashed, since complaints are quite an ex-
ception even in this unusually difficult
season. We would call our readers' atten-
tion to the advertisement of Hinman and
Wright, who are the local agents for the
Australasian and other manufactures of
Meesrs. Ransome, Sims, and Jeffries.
? Another very popular importation is
found in a Hornsby plant, imported by the
Tasmanian agents, Messrs. A. G. Webster
and Son, for Mr ThoB. Grealey, of New
Ground. This plant has had a specially
difficult task, as its scene of operations has
boen chiefly around Kentishbury, where,
owing to the rust and wet season, scarcely
a farm had a decent stack of grain to operate
upon. Notwithstanding this Mr Grealey
has gained a wonderful refutation for his
plant, which many experienced farmers
pronounce to b8 one of the best ever
imported into the colony. It is not neces
sary to go into a lengthy description of
either engine or drum. The engine, being
one of Hornsby's usual patterns, is now
eenerally and favorably known throughout

the colony. The most remarkable feature
in these engines is the large amount of
work they will perform in proportion to
their nominal horse-power. For instance,
Mr Grealey's engine (although only 6 h,p
nominal) had no trouble in driving the
4ft Oin drum even when threshing
long and damp grain. In another in
stance which has come under our notice,
a 6 h.p. Hornby engine worked a 5ft
Robinson drum, having been purchased to
replace an eight h.p. engine by Marshall,
which, being somewhat out of order, was
not capable of doing the work. The drum
of Hornsby's now under notice has many
of the leading features of Ransome's, Aus
tralasian. Like that machine, the top
blast is on hummeller shaft, giving a
powerful blast. Another similar feature is
the large riddling, surface, it being quite
impossible to overload the riddles even in
the best of grain. Like the Ransome, the
top shoot carries two or more riddles ; but
a special feature in the Hornsby is that the
holes in the sieves are punched oval in
stead of round, thereby being more suitable
for all cereals. One point o' contrast is in
the shakers, which in the Hornsby are on
the reciprocatiug principle. The straw
elevators supplied with this plant, also the
beaters, are of a different pattern, but were
wonderfully successful in thrashing out
the damp and rusted grain, scarcely

leaving a single grain in the straw.
They deserve a word of mention, as they
are of a novel construction, being attached
to the drum and elevated ' as folded by a
windlass and worm gear, no poles or ropes
being required. Taken' altogether the plant
is certainly as nearly perfect ob can be
expected even in this present age. of
progress. ,
Another importation made this season
was a complete plant, engine, drum, and
elevators, on travelling carriage, by Messrs.
Hart and Son for Mr John Boutcher, of
Hagley. This plant has also:. acquitted
itself well, and is worthy of a more lengthy
notice, but as this ..article ; has. .already
reached a greater length than was at first
intended we must close, although Mr
Boutcher'B plant has many special features
of excellence.

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