DESCRIPTION OF THE ACME HARROW. 277 



provided with ten more cutting coulters, very much like the 

 long narrow mold-board of a plow. These are curved in a 

 direction contrary to the ten on the front bar and are sloped 

 behind so that they crush and cut the furrow slices, already 

 smoothed and leveled and pulverized on the surface, 

 to a considerable depth; the depth being regulated at 

 the will of the driver; who may if he desires, add his 

 own weight to this effect by riding on the harrow on a 

 spring seat provided for this purpose. These cutting coul- 

 ters not only dissect the furrow slices, but turn over the 

 pulverized soil, by means of the curve of their blades, which 

 are in effect so many small plows. There are 20 of these 

 cutting blades which altogether take up 6 feet of space; thus 

 covering one thirty-fifth of a square acre per every 210 feet 

 passed over. It thus performs its work very rapidly, as well 

 as in the most thorough manner, by pulverizing the soil; 

 crushing the clods; leveling the ridges; and fitting the 

 ground perfectly for the reception of the seed. Indeed from 

 the authors personal experience in the use of this harrow 

 for several years past he has found it to be a most effective 

 seed coverer, replacing the seed drill perfectly; leaving a 

 covering of firm mellow soil of 2 inches over the seed; and 

 compacting this pulverized earth over and about the seed in 

 precisely the manner required for its perfect germination, 

 and the vigorous growth of the young plants. This use is 

 quite beyond its claimed purposes, but it shows that while 

 this implement is called a harrow, and does all that any 

 other harrow can do, or has ever done, it does much more; 

 and in some cases does the work of a plow, and in all cases 

 does the work of a clod crusher, and smoother, and a roller 

 as well. In short, it answers perfectly all the purposes of the 

 farmer in fitting the plowed soil for the germination of the 

 seed, and conforms in every respect to the requirements 

 which have been so emphatically pointed out in previous 

 chapters, for the most effective consummation of the natural 

 laws which control the relations of the soil to plant growth; 

 the principal one of which is the thorough pulverization of 

 the soil. 



