90 



THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



be borne in mind that in the planting of corn the rows should be straight, and the horse- 

 hoe used before the weeds grow too large. This is also true of other crops. In hoeing corn, 

 it should be passed down the side of one^ row, and then above that of the next in order, 

 through the length of the field, and afterwards crosswise in the same manner. It is gene- 

 rally used with the mould-boards side in for other crops as well as corn, unless it be de- 

 sired to throw the soil against the plants, flat cultivation being now more generally adopted. 

 The amount of labor necessary for corn cultivation, when the common plow and hand-hoes 

 only are used, deters many from giving this important crop the care it so justly deserves. 

 By the use of this hoe, with a single horse or mule, it is stated that a farmer may hoe as 

 much corn in a single day, and do it as well, provided the rows are straight, as could be ac- 

 complished by twenty men by means of ordinary hand-hoes. 



Robinson's Improved Cultivator. 



THE accompanying engraving is a perspective view of an improved cultivator invented by 

 J. A. Robinson, of Fremont, New Hampshire, patented February, 1855, which is designed for 

 garden or field cultivation, and particularly adapted to drill-sown wheat and other small grains. 

 The machine or implement consists of cutters attached to the two ends of a yoke of such 

 height as to pass over the tops of the plants, the knives being adjusted to run as near the 

 plants as may be desired, and the whole being made to travel on wheels. 



A is a yoke or bow, to the lower ends of which are secured the cutters B B, each being 

 allowed to swivel around the point a, the nut b serving to hold them secure when placed in 

 the required position. By this method of adjusting the cutters, they are made to cut more 

 or less distant from the rows of plants. 



C C are the handles for guiding the machine. They carry short shafts D, on which are the 

 wheels ; c c are square-headed pins which pass through the lower ends of the handles, and 

 screw into the end of the yoke bow, which allows the bow a limited motion to make the 

 cutters dip more or less beneath the surface ; a shows another square-headed pin which passes 

 through a slot in the butt of the handle, (one for each handle,) and also screws into the yoke 

 A the length of its slot. The yoke is by these pins set in position for the purpose of adjust- 

 ing the dip of the cutters. By tightening this screw the cutters are held in place. 



A device is employed to make each cutter move at an equal distance from the row of grain, 

 or whatever it may be; / is the guide point: it is held over the centre of the space between 

 the points of the cutters by a bent wire //, which is attached to each arm of the yoke, and is 

 supported by a chain g from the apex f of the yoke A. The machine is used by wheeling it 

 forward like a barrow, the guide-point j being kept at the exact distance from the row. It 

 will be observed that as the cutters can be set and adjusted to any distance to and from the 

 plants, the weeds and grass can be cut up very near the rows. 



