28 BRITISH HUSBANDRY, [Ch. II. 



by citlier raising or lowering the forepart of the frame, wliicli is done by 

 either elevating or depressing it in the notclied bar ; for if it be raised, the 

 frame is thereby lowered, and the teeth are consequently forced deeper into 

 the ground : or, by the contrary motion, the ojjposite effect is produced. 

 When lowered to the bottom of the upright bar, it will be without any 

 effect upon the teeth; but when raised to the uppermost notch, they will 

 then penetrate eight or nine inches into the soil. The forewheel runs 

 always on the surface, but the hindwheels can be either raised or lowered 

 by means of screws upon the axle, and thus it can be lifted out of the 

 ground and turned at the end of a field with the greatest facility. The space 

 covered by the working part of the implement is 5^ feet, and the length 

 of the teeth, which are made extremely strong, is 29 inches ; the weight of 

 the machine is not much more than 4 J cwt. ; and the cost at the manufactory 

 is 10/. 10^. 



It may be readily conceived that an instrument of this form, when worked 

 to the depth of which it is capable, must not only have a very powerful 

 effect in stirring tenacious soils, but must also be far superior to the common 

 harrow, or indeed to the plough in tearing up and extirpating root-weeds ; 

 which, by the curved shape of the tines, are thus brought up lo the surface. 

 AVhen used to a great depth, it however requires a very powerful team ; for, 

 although stated by the maker as being suitable to the strength of two 

 horses, we have this week seen it at work upon moderately tenacious land, 

 which had been already ploughed, and which it was only stirring to the 

 depth of five inches, yet occasioning quite sufficient labour to three. He 

 also says, that, " from the curved form of the tines, it naturally follows that 

 all obstructions, by way of vegetable matter — whether stubble or couch — 

 that they may encounter in their progress, is rolled up to the face of the 

 tines, when it loses its hold, and is thrown off; and that the instrument 

 thus always relieves itself from being choked, however wet or foul the 

 land." In which latter statement, however, we cannot altogether agree ; 

 for it required the assistance of an additional man, beside the driver, to 

 clear it, and it was occasionally necessary to stop the team to perform that 

 operation. Still, it must be admitted that it turned up a vast mass of 

 weeds, and went over about six acres of ground in a very complete style, 

 within the day's work. The mode by which it can be adjusted to the depth 

 of work is also a great advantage ; for it is so simple in principle, that it 

 can be regulated without difficulty by the dullest farm servant. 



There is also another machine, by the same maker, of nearly the same 

 form and principle, but of a lighter description, and with fewer teetli, which 

 is thercifore suitable for more tender soils, though it is not so generally 

 used as the former. It has, however, been employed with considerable 

 advantage as a drill harrow, or horse-hoe, for working between the rows 

 of root crops, and it can be regulated to work at any width or de])th re- 

 quired, so as to suit the breadth of tiie drill. 



