The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-13 00:00:00

THE STOTTRIITUDGE OBSERVER.

TRI ILS or MACHINERY AND PLOUGHING
MAIO iE-4 AT KINVER MU.

Are;-siee Web,- -, Q In)m- of
Vs orisley and Kinver Uhl, had it large meeting of
aghaeulturlsik., as u ttii a Eti about t 010 p,rsole,
ueii preen tat he term on Tues.ley, to ware se a
trial of liveshirig machines and plou:,i ing twitches
le'-sr. Webb have for many years carried on farm.
leg upon the most approved prinr:iples, and have .
earned a world-wide reputation for .4 ot.li roots au
grain grown by thorn. The prizes they have taken
hive been alveost innumerable, and their seeds and
Ila ta have become exceedinely popular. But the
exhibition of agricultural machinery at work was
qude a new departure hence considerable curiosite
was aroused. The proceedings commenced punc-
uaily at e:even o'clock, both in the ploughing
match, for which there were 18 competitors, and in
the starting ef a threshing machine. This was one
of M,ssrs. Ransome's standard full-sized finishing
machines, with a drum 54 inches wide. The crop
with which it had to deal was one of Webb's cele-
brated Kinver Chevalier barley, which had been
harvested perfectly dry, and consequently was some-
what difficult to thresh clean without breaking. The
machine did its work to the perfect satisfaction of
the experienced agricuiturists present; and when
a "epu-t" was put on it threshed a sack in 31- min-
utes, a splendid performance. The engine driving
the thresher was one of Messrs Ransome's 8 horse
power portoblee, which worked with the greatest
ease and smoothness. It is very simple in design
and construction, and could be managed by an or-
dinary farm servant. The ploughing match, was,
however, the great centre of attraction, and was
watched with the deepest interest. The whole of
the ploughs used were Messrs. Ransome's latest
patent, the "New Digger," for which it is
.claimed
that a deeper trench is cut and the earth far better
pulverised by it than by any other plough The
eighteen competitors were all local ploughmen from
ditlerent farms in the neighbourhcod. The work
done by the new ploughs was much admired, and
Messrs. Rensome received several orders for them
from different farmers present. Barker, the.
champion ploughman of the world, gave specimens
of pleughing with the Newcastle prize plough
Those present were entertainaby Messrs. Webb
with their usual hospitality, to an excellent
luncheon, At the close Mr. Edward Webb said he
had very great pleasure in asking them to drink the
health of a gentleman who was there as his guest.
It was the health of Mr. James Ransome, one of the
partners in the firm of Ransome, Sims, and Jef-
feries, of Ipswich—(cheers). The good implements
he had sent there that day to enter into the prize
competithhe had made their mark without further
words from him, In these depressed times it was
ueces,ary that farmers should be 'dive to every-
thing that would expedite their work and make
the cultivation f the land cheaper and more profit-
able, and he hoped the "new digger" would be
30111 e little means of doing more work for farmers
in tee country, They had seen the steam thresher,
which hid excellent work. In these days they
vented everything that would do a great amount
)f work in a short time.

Mr. Ransome replied, and said he felt ex-
tremely indebted to his friends Messrs. Webb,
,vhoui he had known for some years, for giving him
an opportunity of corniug there that day to meet
such a large number of distinguished agricultur-
i4s. They were very fortunate in having such a
dll3 day. The work that was being done by their
ploughs was of a genuine chat acter ntie ineu
were with them were al local ploughmen.
i'lley thought that having that ploughing match
was a good way of bringing their ploughs before
fAravirs in that part of the country, as they were
not to well known in that quarter as they should
be. The digger. plough would enablo them to get
bitter crops. It was quite as light for the horses
o work in draught as the ordinary ploughs, and
w,uhl get through a much larger quantity of work
in a day. The threshing machine they had at
..,,ork was a ve-y powerful one, and was possibly
heavy for a hilly country, but they had others
of a lighter make.
Mr. Wakeman, of Coto ti Hall, proposed "The
dealth of the Judges," Messrs. Trow, of lsmere,
~:ud J. Giles, of Bradford House, Chaddesley, and
both gentlemen responded.
A. return was thea made to the field where the
ploughing match was in progress. At the close of
die day the judges went over the ground, und a
meeting was afterwards held in a large marquee,
where the prizes were distributed.
Mr. Giles spoke highly of the ploughing, and was
so pleased with the ploughs that he gave an order
for a double plough of tne same character to Mr.
Ransome. He also recommended those present to
purchase their seeds from Measrs Webb; with whom
no had dealt fur many years with the most satis-
t ,ry results.
The prizes were awarded as follow :—First, J.
Jones, servant to Mr. Timiniss, of Stone, a silver
pin and £2; second. W. Hammond, servant to Mr,
30s and a silver pin; third, T. Dew, servant
co Air, Hickman, one sovereign and a silver pin ;
fourth, W. Powell, servant to Mr. Lawley, of Bow.
oils, 15s ; fifth, C. Field, servant to Mr. Dudley,
Coupton ; sixth, H. Lane, servaut to Mr. Buckland,
5. Highly commended, W. Hayward, servant to
Mr, Johnson. Commended, A. Gummerry, sc;r-
vant to Mr. Tibbets.