4 8 



There was a good exhibit of several styles of onion hoes, 

 excellent for working between the rows, but there were 

 none of the class which straddle the rows, weeding both 

 sides at the same time. In some sections of New England* 

 these are in common use, and there is certainly a good argu- 

 ment fur them, in the fact that they save a good deal of 

 hand weeding. I know it may be said that with the com- 

 mon slide, or wheel hoe, the results secured are the same, 

 for though they do not weed each side of a row, they do 

 weed one side of two rows. True, but the great advantage 

 of the straddle hoe is, that they can be regulated to go as 

 close to the row as we may find it for our advantage to go, 

 and having each side of the row close under the eye, we 

 can do closer work than with the common style of hoe, even 

 when different widths are at hand. The Fuller weed hoe, 

 Planet Jr., and Bridgeport hoe are examples of the straddle 

 class ; the Fuller differing from all others in the fact that 

 the two hoes working close to the onions are always under 

 complete control of the operator. 



" The 0. K. Steel Coulter harrow " is recommended as 

 an implement that would cover manure remarkably well. 

 That may be, and I think it likely, but to the eye it looks 

 very like a Bastard Share harrow, a style that was in use 

 about fifteen years ago. 



This subject of agricultural implements is one of huge 

 proportions, and, located as we are, in about the center of 

 yankee ingenuity, it is one of great importance, and well 

 worthy of more thorough attention than it has yet received. 

 We have had excellent exhibitions of the various ploughs, 

 and do have them every year at our annual ploughing 

 matches, but how is it of cultivators, harrows, and weeding 

 hoes ? Has not agriculture advanced sufficiently among us, 

 to have the importance of these implements more fully 

 recognized ? Every farmer in our county, who owns a 

 plough; owns also a cultivator and harrow, and usually a 

 seed sower and weed hoe. Should not our system of pre- 

 miums recognize these, not only in the exhibition tent, as 

 show implements, but in the work they will actually do ? 



