Alfalfa in Kansas. 303 



Alfalfa Cultivators. 



Several different machines are called alfalfa cultivators. Here, how- 

 ever, it will be applied to the machine described in the cut. The teeth, 14 

 in number, are hung independently in the frame and are under spring 

 pressure. The amount of pressure can be regulated by a lever. The 

 teeth are of such shape that only rounded edges touch the alfalfa plants. 

 The width cultivated is 6% feet. 



OPERATION AND CARE: The teeth pass to the side of plants, stirring 

 up the ground and tearing out the small weeds. This machine is giving 

 good results, although the draft, as on all alfalfa cultivating machines, is 

 quite heavy. Two horses are necessary. 



Spring-tooth Harrows. 



These are common in the East but very seldom found in Kansas. The 

 cut shows a spring-tooth harrow with special alfalfa teeth. The regular 

 spring-tooth harrow was tried out by an enterprising farmer, who found 

 that better work could be done if the shank was rounded and the blunt 



Fia. 241. The modern manure spreader. 



point changed to a spear-head shape. These machines are built in sec- 

 tions. Two sections of 21 and 22 teeth cover 6 feet; three sections of 

 31 and 33 teeth cover 9 feet. 



OPERATION AND CARE. When cultivating, the teeth act very much like 

 the teeth of alfalfa cultivators already described. The teeth will spring 

 back if caught on an obstruction, depth being regulated by levers. A 

 horse for each section is necessary, and if the teeth are set so very deep 

 more power will be needed. This harrow, with the special form of al- 

 falfa teeth, has only been sold for the last four years. It is gaining 

 favor rapidly as an alfalfa cultivator. Good results have been reported. 



This same harrow, either in the regular form or the alfalfa type, can 

 be used as an ordinary harrow. The farmer owning the machine shown in 

 the cut has used it in the spring on fall-plowed ground. He reports that 

 better work was done with it than with the smoothing harrow, although 

 less ground was covered in a day. (See "Cultivators," in index.) 



