CHAP. iv. HORSE-HOES AND DRILLS. 725 



not when underground, the plant is in greater danger of being destroyed; 

 this, however, is an erroneous idea, for if the holder exercises ordinary 

 care he intuitively steers the implement with accuracy and safety. 

 The L-shaped hoe is always a mistake, and if a single-flange hoe is 

 desired it should be in the form of a half V, which does not cause the 

 soil to drive so much, and is easier for the man to hold and for the horse 

 to pull. The stems are sometimes made with chisel-points to which 

 flanges may be fitted; or the flanges are welded on, and relaid as 

 required. The illustrations in fig. 282 show several good forms of hoes. 



As we have said, we are strongly in favour of the use of one large 

 hoe to cover the space between two rows of turnips, and such hoes will 

 be found very useful for cutting thistles in tilths, where it is not desired 

 to plough the land again. Horse-hoes are too often only employed to 

 destroy weeds, but they should also be used with the object of deep- 

 tilling between the roots, for this promotes the growth of rootlets. 



Mr. James Coultas, of Grantham, has brought out a very simple and 

 useful lever horse-hoe, illustrated in fig. 283. It is suited to crops 

 drilled on the level or on the ridge, the wheels being movable at both 

 ends to suit the varied intervals between rows of plants. As shown, it 

 is set for a corn crop ; but for roots Goss & Savage's special shares and 

 shanks are supplied. The hoeing of white-straw crops, either by horse- 

 machines or by hand, is much less common than it was at one time ; 

 but peas and beans are almost invariably hoed, and usually by horse- 

 power. On heavy soils wheat has often been injured by horse-hoeing, 

 especially after a wet winter when the soil has been run into a compact 

 mass. Under such circumstances the action of a horse-hoe is apt to lift 

 the soil in great pieces, loosening the roots of the crop. This objection 

 does not apply to free-working soils. Crops on the ridge are best hoed 

 one row at a time. The hoe in fig. 284 is a very good type of a single 

 row hoe, and any form of hoe can be attached to the frame. Some are 

 made with a strong body in front, to which is attached a grubber-point, 

 and these are particularly useful, when the land is excessively hard, for 

 breaking a way for the hinder hoes. 



CHAPTER V. 



SOWING MACHINES AND MANURE DISTRIBUTORS. 



IT is essential that corn- and seed-drills should be accurate in placing 

 the seed, as corn germinates unevenly when deposited at different 

 depths. It is obvious, too, that regularity in the depositing of the seed 

 is of great importance, while lightness of draught is also of considerable 

 importance. The attainment of these objects largely depends upon the 

 form of the coulter and the arrangement for conveying the seed. Until 

 a comparatively recent date the only drills used in this country were 



