404 



SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part II. 



seven or eight inches, by a screw through the axletree, which is turned by a small handle 

 (g)} so that the hind part of the harrow, by this simple mode, is also regulated to the 

 depth at which it is found necessary to work. 4. When tlie harrow is drawn to the head 

 or foot lands, the regulator is pressed down to d, and the fore wheel (m) is then allowed 

 to pass under the fore bar (n), by which the nose of the harrow is lifted, and the points 

 of the fore tines {II 1 1) will then be taken two or three inches out of the soil, which affords 

 the means of turning the harrow with the greatest facility. 5. Being made of malleable 

 iron, its durability may be said to be endless ; whereas, if made of wood, the prime cost 

 would be entirely lost at the end of every five or six years. Lastly, the mode of working 

 is so easy, that any boy of ten or twelve years of age is perfectly qualified to manage it. 

 Next to Wilkie's brake, we consider this the most valuable of pronged implements, and 

 tliink that, like Wilkie's implement, it might be substituted for the plough, after drilled 

 green or root crops, on light soils generally. Some account of the astonishing powers of 

 the implement, as exemplified in breaking up Hyde Park, London, in 1826, will be found 

 in the Gardener's Magazine, vol. ii. p. 250. 



2658. Weirds improved cultivator {Jig. 325.) is a very effective implement of this kind, 



with nine coulters or prongs. It may be set to go more or less deep by raising or 



lowering both the fore and hind wheels. 



2659. The Scotch cultivator or grubber (Jig. 326.) was for merly considered one of the 



best implements of this kind, as a substitute 



for the plough ; but it has since been super- 

 seded by Finlayson's self- cleaning harrow. 



It consists of two strong rectangular frames, 



the one including the other, and nine bars 



mortised into the inner one, with eleven 



coulters or prongs with triangular, sharp- 

 edged, dipping feet, four cast-iron wheels, 



and two handles. All the cutters are fixed 



in these bars, except two which are placed 



in the side beams of the outer frame, and 



may be set to go more or less deep by means 



of pins and wedges. It works as deep as 



the plough has gone ; and by the reclined 



position of the coulters, brings to the surface all the weed roots that lurk in the soil. 



Beans and peas have been sown in 

 spring on the winter furrow, after beng 

 stirred by the grubber ; and barley also 

 after turnips, without Jmy ploughing 

 at all. This implement is made of 

 different sizes, and may be worked either 

 by four or by two horses, and one man. 

 2660. Parkinsons cultivator (Jig. 

 327. ) has been found a very useful im- 

 plement, both for stirring and cleaning 

 land. Its inventor recommends that 

 or any other cause, the number of teeth or hoes 

 two or three being placed in the fore bull, and four 



S27 



sod: 



where the land is foul from couch, 

 should be reduced to five or seven 

 in the hindermost j increasing them to nine as the land becomes in a fine condition 



