HARROW. 



HARVESTING. 



found to be 20 Ibs. lighter than the wooden 

 ones, yet they worked decidedly better and 

 steadier than the latter; in fact they cut into 

 the land, while the wooden ones rode, or rather 

 danced, on the surface. 



We will now take up the consideration of 

 the length and position of harrow-teeth. The 

 common plan is to set them springing a little 

 forward, and gradually increasing in lengtn 

 from the fore to the hind row. We think there 

 is no advantage in this, but the contrary ; for, 

 if the action of harrows so constructed be 

 carefully examined, it will be found the reverse 

 of what it ought to be, the hind part will be 

 thrown up, and the fore-teeth, short as they 

 are, will have to do all the work. In some ex- 

 periments made with harrows, the fallacy of 

 the idea, that an inequality in the length of the 

 teeth was essential to the proper working of 

 harrows, was made evident. For this purpose, 

 a harrow was constructed on the old-fashioned 

 plan of unequal and springing teeth in front; 

 the whole of the teeth pointing backwards in- 

 stead of forwards. Nothing could work better: 

 there were no chucks and snatches, but all 

 went on smoothly and steadily. We do not, 

 from this circumstance, recommend harrows 

 to be so constructed, but we have no doubt that 

 each harrow should have all its teeth of equal 

 length, and should stand perpendicularly from 

 the balk. 



Armstrong's Harrmcs. These instruments 

 differ from others in the form of their balks or 

 framing, which are of iron, and of a zigzag 

 shape, so arranged that the tooth or tine shall 

 be fixed at each angle, in such manner that 

 the lines formed by them shall be equidistant 

 over the breadth of the land they are intended 

 to cover. They can be adapted either for heavy 

 or light work. 



We now proceed to give a brief description 

 of some other implements intended for the 

 same operation, but of a more elaborate cha- 

 racter. 



BiddelPs Extirpating Harrow. This is a new 

 implement, somewhat on the principle of Bid- 

 dell's scarifier, and invented by Arthur Biddell 

 of Playford. It is intended for breaking up 

 land when it is too hard for the heaviest har- 

 rows, and for bringing winter fallows into a 

 state of fine tillage. In working summer lands, 

 by the shape of its teeth, it is calculated to 

 bring to the surface all grass and rubbish ; it 

 will also be found generally useful for accom- 

 plishing fine tillage. The tines may be either 

 used with points or with steel hoes ; and with 

 the latter the skimming, or, as it is frequently 

 called, the " broad-share" process, may be quick- 

 ly accomplished. The weight is not found to 

 be a disadvantage, but the contrary ; and, be- 

 ing borne on high wheels, it does 'not require 

 so much horse-labour as might be supposed. 

 It is at present but in limited operation, though 

 highly valued by those who have made use 

 of it.' Fig. 3, PI. 15, is a sketch of this har- 

 row obtained from one in use. 



The Berwickshire harrow is, says a writer in 

 the Quart. Journ. of Agr., the most perfect im- 

 plement of the kind in general use. It consists 

 of two parts joined together by iron rods, hav- 

 ing hasps and hooks. PL 15, fig. 2. Each part 

 04 



consists of four bars of wood, technically term- 

 ed bulls, and connected together by an equal 

 number of cross bars of smaller dimensions 

 mortised through them. The former of these 

 bars may be 2 inches in width by 3 inches in 

 depth, and the latter 2 inches in width by 1 inch 

 in depth. The longer bars are inclined at a 

 certain angle to the smaller, so as to form the 

 figure of a rhomboid, and they have inserted 

 into them the teeth at equal distances from 

 each other. This inclination of the longer bars 

 is made to be such, that perpendiculars from 

 each of the teeth, falling upon a line drawn at 

 right angles to the line of the harrow's motion, 

 shall divide the space between each bar into 

 equal parts; so that the various teeth, when 

 the instrument is moved forward, shall equally 

 indent the surface of the ground over which 

 they pass. (Quart. Journ. Agr.") 



HARVEST (Germ, herbst.) In agriculture, 

 the period at which any crop is reaped. The 

 term is more commonly applied to the crops 

 of corn or hay. 



HARVEST FLIES, Cicadians. See LO- 

 CUSTS. 



HARVEST-HOME. A sort of feast given 

 by the farmer, after harvest, to the labourers 

 and others that have assisted in cutting and 

 securing the crops. The term is sometimes 

 also applied to the song made use of on the 

 occasion. 



HARVESTING. The operation of pulling, 

 cutting, rooting up, or gathering field crops, and 

 drying or otherwise preparing them for being 

 stored up for \vinter use. The first harvest 

 which occurs in Britain and similar climates 

 is that of the forage grasses, or other plants 

 made into hay; the next is the harvest of 

 cereal grasses, or of corn crops ; and the third, 

 the potato harvest, or harvest of root crops, 

 such as potatoes, carrots, turnips, mangel-wur- 

 zel, &c. 



There is also the harvest of occasional crops, 

 such as that of rape-seed, turnip-seed, dyer's- 

 woad, hemp, flax, and various other articles. 

 The commencement of harvest is necessarily 

 regulated by the state of the weather, and 

 varies in different seasons, even when the 

 weather is favourable, from the middle of July 

 to the end of August; while, in some years, 

 and in exposed situations, it is still later. It 

 is, therefore, an object of importance to the 

 farmer to ascertain the exact time when it may 

 be begun, for he must employ extra hands to 

 perform the work ; and as it only lasts during 

 a comparatively short period, they receive high 

 wages, and are maintained at a heavy cost. It 

 is also attended with the most anxious solici- 

 tude, for it is a business which cannot be for a 

 moment neglected; and the man who wishes 

 to get it rightly managed, must superintend it, 

 without intermission, from the dawn of the day 

 until its final close. He should previously get 

 rid of all other work, and make every prepara- 

 tion for the due performance of this ; the barns 

 should be thoroughly swept out, both roof, 

 walls, and floors; the stack-frames repaired, 

 and every tool should be in complete condi- 

 tion. The straw-bands should be in readiness 

 for tying the sheaves, as well as the ropes for 

 securing the stacks ; and arrangements should 





