Horwood Bagshaw Super Spreader

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Horwood Bagshaw

c. 1930

Overview

This is a Horwood Bagshaw single spinner Super Spreader which was used locally in the 1930s. The farmer would have loaded the cart with bags of “super”, towed it around the paddock by tractor and a farmhand riding on the cart would have fed the bags of “super” into the spreader hopper as required. Usually the farmer would apply “super” right after planting.

Historical information

Horwood Bagshaw, arguably Australia’s oldest agricultural machinery manufacturer, was founded in 1838 by John Stokes Bagshaw, who established the Pioneer Works in Elizabeth St Adelaide, South Australia before moving the works to Mile End. In the early years, the Pioneer Works focused on producing a range of tools and equipment for various industries, including mining and agriculture. In 1924, JH Horwood & Co was acquired by JS Bagshaw & Sons Ltd, and the two companies merged to form Horwood Bagshaw Ltd. The new company continued to produce a range of agricultural tools and equipment and became known for its high-quality products and innovative designs.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2023.66

Item type

Material

Contextual Information

“Super” is a short term for Superphosphate, a widely used paddock fertilizer produced by reacting naturally occurring phosphate rock with sulphuric acid. This process converts insoluble phosphates into forms more readily available to plants and its application increases root development and causes quicker ripening. Super was first manufactured in Australia in Victoria in 1876 and production started in Perth in 1910. By the late 1920s its use had become widespread in Australia and in 1930 production started in Bunbury. It remained Australia’s most important phosphorus fertiliser on crops and pastures until the 1970s when the argument began that continued application of “super” was causing a phosphate build up in the soil which depleted microbe activity and reduced the availability of plant nutrients.

Horwood Bagshaw still make fertilizer spreaders today but famers are using these to deliver a variety of fertilizers as well as “super”.

It is conjectured that “super spreading” would have become common practice in the south west by the 1930s when Superphosphate production started in Bunbury.

Keywords

Busselton

Farm Machinery

Place made

Mile End
South Australia
Australia

Year

c. 1930

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Related Objects

Parent records

B11 Machinery Shed