152 DRY LAND FARMING 



The surface cultivator (see p. 278) is chiefly used 

 for cultivating corn, but may be used in cultivating 

 various other plants. As the name implies, it works the 

 soil near the surface and it is furnished with knives 

 rather than shovels, which cut off and thus displace 

 weeds. Shovel rigs may also be used upon it and sur- 

 face attachments for smoothing the soil. The large 

 wheels with their broad tires make it easy of draft, and 

 the high arch between the wheels makes it possible to 

 cultivate corn without breaking it when 3 to 4 feet high. 

 It is drawn by two horses as a rule, and cultivates one 

 row at a time, but there is also a two-row cultivator 

 which is drawn by three horses. 



The spike tooth cultivator (see p. 200) has steel 

 teeth slightly curving forward. It has a gauge wheel 

 for regulating the depth. It is drawn by one horse and 

 is intended to stir the soil deeply should this be desired. 

 It is not so valuable as the surface cultivator for destroy- 

 ing weeds. Various other cultivators are in use, some 

 with discs, some with shovels, some with knives, and 

 some with a combination of these, but the surface cul- 

 tivator and the spike tooth cultivator, judiciously used, 

 will usually suffice for the cultivation of corn and vari- 

 ous other crops. But where corn is listed, other culti- 

 vators, more commonly of the disc pattern, are called for. 



The Planet Jr. is a very useful cultivator. It may 

 be worked by hand or by the aid of a horse. It is 

 furnished with knives and shovels and is intended for 

 use in gardens and on small areas generally. 



The spring tooth cultivator is used chiefly for loosen- 

 ing up land that has been plowed and has again become 

 impacted. It has special adaptation for use in ground 

 where obstructions to cultivation are present, as in the 

 form of roots or stones, and for land that is too moist 

 to work well with the ordinary disc. The clod crusher 



