Ch. II. j 



GRUBBERS. 



27 



The grubber, indeed, usually follows the harrow for the purpose of stir- 

 ring and cleaning the land still more effectually than that has been already 

 done; and in light lands, the object may, in most cases, be accomplished 

 without the further use of the plough, and certainly with far less expense. 

 In working lime or compost into the soil, it is also essentially useful ; for, 

 by passing it once along and again across the ridges, they are thoroughly 

 mixed, without being buried too deep in the ground, as frequently happens 

 when the plough is employed for that purpose. Another important advan- 

 tage is, that it may be employed with great power on all lands ploughed in 

 the winter, and to be sown in spring ; for, by passing it once or twice over 

 the field, the soil may be effectually loosened to any moderate depth ; and, 

 in the hurry of a catching season, barley and oats may thus be got into the 

 ground with far greater expedition than by the common mode. In the pre- 

 paration for turnips it is likewise equally efficacious ; it must, therefore, in 

 such cases, occasion a vast saving of animal labour, as well as time ; and in 

 all the farming operations in which it is employed has been generally found 

 eminently useful. When well worked, it indeed affords such a fine tilth, that 

 even on strong soils it has been used on a great scale ; and in two well- 

 known instances of the farms belonging to Mr. Grey, of Coles, in Hertford- 

 shire, and that of General Beatson, of Knowle, in Sussex, it has, for many 

 years, been made to nearly supersede the use of the plough. The implement 

 used at Coles is of nearly the same kind as that represented at the head of this 

 article, while that employed at Knowle Farm is of a much lighter descrip- 

 tion, yet they each appear to perform the work with nearly equal effect ; but 

 as we shall in a future chapter have occasion to refer to the mode of culti- 

 vation pursued on those farms, it is here unnecessary to describe them. 



Although coming under the denomination of the self-cleaning harrow — 

 though more properly a grubber — an implement of great power has been 

 lately invented by Mr. Finlayson, to whom we have already alluded. It is 

 made wholly of iron, in this form — 



consisting of parallel sides, with two sets of transverse bars, into the hind- 

 most of which there are five, and in the foremost four curved teeth, fixed in 

 a quincunx manner, and the frame moves upon three wheels, one of wliich 

 is in front, and the other two behind. A little before the foremost teeth the 

 frame is made to tend to the same point at A ; where it is attached by a 

 bolt to a spring, forming the point of draught, and a lever, B, by 

 which the depth at which the instrument is to be worked is regulated. 

 This lever passes through an upright bar, C, which is supported by the 

 side poles, and contains notches for it to rest upon. It acts upon the draught 



