• The Preparation and Maintenance of Grassed Surfaces
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Municipal Aerodrome Construction and Other Developments Suggest an Increased Demand for Specialize. d Grass
tending Appliances
THE preparation of wide, open spaces of turf and their Maintenance in well-drained and wellmown condition are the tasks Cd many municipal authorities. Now that they are taking an interest in the provision of aerodromes, more of this work will fall to the lot of local authorities, and specialized . motor appliances will be needed.
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In fact,. .the. market -for what have bitheito .been sad as "golf-course tractors" " ' looks ilike expanding. considerably, for apart from aerodromes, the conversion of controlled refuse tips into playing and recreation fields is receiving much more attention now than it did in the days of uncontrolled dis
posal. .
The golf-course tractor, which is usually a conversion of a well-known light commercial-motor chassis, is an ex. tremely useful motive unit, and can be obtained with any, or all, of several attachments to extend the scope of its work. Generally, this type of tractor has pneumatic-tyred wheels, the year Wheels being interchangeable with spiked steel wheels of ample width; thus the machine has a good [tractive grip when pulling a gang of nowers, and yet is capable of travelling at a reasonable speed along the road, probably carrying its mowers from one site to another.
Probably the best-known tractors of this kind are those marketed by the Allan Taylor Engineering and Manufacturing Co., London, S.W.18; H. Pattisson and Co., Stanmnre, Middlesex; and Moxons, Ltd., London, N.20.
For carrying their mowers, rollers or other gear, quickly removed bodies of simple type are generally provided, the body floor itself sen..-ing as a loading ramp. The reason it 'mist be retriovable is that a metal truck:type body, which can be tipped by one man, is often needed for carrying' earth, turf, etc., or even for conveying water or fertilizing or worm-killing liquids.
For the latter work the body is some
times provided with a cover, rendering it watertight, and with a pump, used for loading and far spraying, Which is usually driven by the engine. Sometimes this is not the only power takeoff, for a belt pulley or winch gear may also be required. An incidental advantage of pump gear is that it may be used for draining pools, etc.
• The winch gear is Primarily employed for mole-dtaining and 'similar work, although in some conditions it is possible to draw a modern mole-chaining device by means of direct haulage. Excellent mole drainers are made by Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., Ipswich, Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., Basingstoke, and the Pattisson concern at Stanmore, as well as other agriculturalimplement providers.
Harrows and cultivators are often towed by these machines, and the coupling is suitable for odd trailer carts, etc., which must often be moved about on fairly rough ground..
There are many makes of sang mowers, including those of Ransomes. Sims and Jefferies, Ltd.; Bamfords, Ltd., tittoxeter; Alexander Shanks and , Son, Ltd., Arbroath, and Thomas Green and Sons, Ltd., Leeds.
There are also long-grass cutters of the oscillating-blade type, such as the Allen mo,tor scythe, made by John Allen and Sons (Oxford),'Ltd., Cowley.
For smaller areas, self-contained motor mowers are offered by Dennis Brothers. Ltd., Guildford, the Ransomes company, the Enfield Cycle Co., Ltd., Redditch, and Charles H. Pugh, !Ltd., Birmingham.
Many makes of light motor roller aro marketed, including those of John Allen and Sons (Oxford), Ltd.: H. Pattisson and Co.; Ruston and Hornsby, Ltd., Lincoln; Aveling and Barford, Ltd., Grantham; Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., and Messrs. Aleck T. Arnold, Kelvedon, Essex.
Orthodox agricultural tractors, such as the Bristol, Fordson, International, Case, Allis:thalmers and Massey-Harris are sometimes necessary for big areas or heavy work, and special attachments for site levelling, ditch making, etc., are available for such machines.
The Chaseside Engineering Co., Ltd., Enfield for example, has for long had success with its Hi-lift shovel attach
ment, and E. Boydell and Co., 41., Manchester, specializes in the Muir-Hill loading shovel and dumping tractor, ideal for soft-ground jobs.
The Ransomes company offers a ditch-making implement for towing behind t. tractor, and this will make ditches up to 14 ins, deep and 24 ins. wide at the top. The same company produces the M2 rotary scraper, which will collect up to 27 cubic ft. of earth for dumping altogether, or for spreading evenly where required.