Loading Sugar-beet Lorries Mechanically.
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The LOTJGHING 10 ins, deep in pre
paration for a potato crop was a feature of a tractor demonstration held on the Harper Adams Agricultural College farm on October 30th and 31st. With an Oliver No. SA plough, a Fordson tractor worked steadily on stubble land, cutting a single furrow 101ins, deep by 17 ins. wide. Although the plough frequently encountered large lumps of sandstone no damage was suffered, and it kept well down to its woile. The Fordsons used in the demonstration were of the standard pattern, equipped with the Oliver shifting hitch, a feature which proved of great utility, as demonstrated by Mr. Reginald Tildesley. of Willenhall, who provided the equipment.
With an Oliver No. 8 double-furrow B24 plough the same tractor made very good seed furrow work on another stubble, covering everything when working 7 ins. deep. This plough, which has interchangeable bottoms, was shown in subsoiling work, the leading bottom being replaced by a subsoiling tine. The soil was broken up to a depth of 3 ins. to 4 ins, below the furrow sole. The breaking up of a clover lea was another feature of the demonstration, showing the general utility of the Oliver 11-tined tractor-cultivator, fitted for the first breaking up with nine tines spaced fairly wide apart.
The invention of a Staffordshire farmer, Mr. H. Davies, Junr., of Seisdon, was shown at work in connection with the transport of the sugar-beet crop. This is a light elevator, driven by chain from the cardan shaft of the lorry, in this case a 5-ton Leyland. The elevator reduces the labour of loading, since two men are sufficient to feed the loader, and they do not have to lift the beet more than a couple of feet from the ground—a feature of obvious advantage.
The elevator is provided with a chain conveyor fitted with spring tines, passing over a slotted platform. Consequently, a good proportion of dirt is shaken off the beet. The use of the elevator reduced the tare weight by 9 lb. to 10 lb. per cwt. The attachment to the lorry comprises a layshaft mounted at the side in brackets driven by chain from the cardan shaft, and carrying a sprocket for the chain drive to the elevator.