THE PROGRESS OF ROTARY TILLAGE.
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Rothamsted experimental station disproves the objection to rotary power agrimotors that rotary cultivation gives too fine a tiIth, in its records for 1934, which have just been issued. It finds that the filth produced by rotary cultivator is no finer than that obtained by ordinary implements. It is, however, much looser, and the methods for dealing with this new condition are still being worked out.
It is stated that in early stages of plant growth a rotary cultivation has been found superior to the ordinary type; germination and early growth are both better. "If technical difficulties of rotary cultivation can be overcome," says one report. "the way should be clear for an appreciable reduction in the heavy costs that the arable farm must face."
Effects of different methods of cultivation formed one of the studies. It is found that the kind of tilth produced by spring ploughing or cultivation is much more controlled by the weather of the previous winter than by spring treatment—which for power farmers means getting as much ploughing and cultivating as possible done in the autumn and winter.
Good Start by C.M.U.A. in Northwich.
The new branch which has been formed by the Commercial Motor Users Association at Northwich is expected to have a membership of 60 (according to Mr. Stanley Preece, the organizer in Liverpool and Manchester), following an enthusiastic foundation meeting which he addressed this month. Mr. H. H. Lapsley, the Manchester area secretary, also spoke.
A Plea for Wider Roads.
Warwick county surveyor reports that, in view of the ever-increasing volume of traffic, the problem, of road width has become of supreme importance. The county roads committee, in considering his report, has visualized a B24 still further substantial increase in the number of vehicles of all classes using the roads in the county, and has arrived at the conclusion that the standard widths between fences which have been adopted in the past are not now adequate to meet future requirements_ The county surveyor has discussed the matter with the divisional road engineer of the Ministry of Transport, who is of opinion that a minimum width of 100 ft. 'between fences, to allow, if necessary, for the laying down of dual carriageways, should now be provided on the most important roads. The committee agrees with this view.
Comprehensive New Road Maps.
The supplier of Regent petrol, Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd., 1, London Wall Buildings, London, E.C.2, has just issued, at 7s. 6d., a book of road maps known as the Regent Super. They apply to England and Wales, and are on a scale of 10 miles to the inch. The maps have been prepared by Edward Stanford, Ltd., and are in 14 sections.
Apart from these, the book contains a foreword by Sir Malcolm Campbell, K.B.E., a summary of motor laws and regulations, a list of index -marks, illustrations of road signs and through maps of 48 towns. GAS COACH AVERAGES 27 M.P.H. FOR 740 MILES.
In order to demonstrate the advantages of compressed coke-oven gas as motor-vehicle fuel, the Ruhr Gas Co. recently despatched a coach on a tour from Essen, Westphalia, to Konigsberg, Prussia, and back. The vehicle used was an Opel 24-65 h.p. coach, with a streamlined body, which was provided with an extra supply of gas cylinders owing to the fact that it is not yet possible to obtain a supply of compressed gas at all the towns passed through.
A call was, however, made at the recently established compressed-gas filling station in Hanover, where the exhausted cylinders were replenished. During the tour abont 740 miles were covered, the net running time being 27 hours 42 miuutes, and the average. speed nearly 27 m.p.h. The gas consumption during the run amounted to. 20,297 cubic ft., equal to about 36* _miles per 1,000 cubic ft.
A Tyre Load and Inflation Table.
A practical wall chart, comprising a load and inflation table for India tyres, which gives the recommended pressures for all principal sizes in such a manner that the information can be kept up to date when changes in pressure are made, has been issued by the India Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., Inchinnan, Scotland. The chart is 3 ft. high and r ft. 10 ins, wide, and is suitable for hanging in dealers' premises, or in the offices of commercial operators. A copy may be obtained from India tyre branches, or direct from the publicity department of the manufacturer.
Loss to Bradford Removal Concern.
The death occurred, last Sunday, at the comparatively early age of 48 years, of Mr. James A. Williams, a partner in W. and J. Williams, Ltd., the oldestablished concern of removal contractors and coal merchants, Bradford.
Hull Association Dinner.
The annual dinner of Hull Traffic Association is to be held on October 22 next. We understand that notable personalities in the transport world will speak on important subjects.