AU$25.00

ISBN: 0-646-09239-1

Publisher: J. W. Reddin - 1992

Synopsis: In 1843 the colony of South Australia experienced harvest difficulties - there was an increasing demand for food supply, but a shortage of labour available to harvest by hand. In response to a competition organised by the Grain Exchange, a mechanical wheat stripper was designed and built by John Wrathall Bull. John Ridley improved Bull's design and successfully developed the stripper as a working machine. The Ridley reaping machine stripped the grain from the crop using a comb and rotating bars, and stored it in the 'boot' of the machine for later winnowing. This South Australian invention revolutionised the harvesting of wheat in dry climates, and greatly increased the amount of land cultivated.

Condition: First edition; Inscribed by the author; Light shelf wear on the exterior of the paperback; light discolouration of the spine; The pages are clean, unmarked and in excellent condition;