CHAPTER IV 



FARMING TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTS 



S has been incidentally noted in the pre- 

 ceding pages, the tools of the early set- 

 tlers were of the simplest, crudest con- 

 struction, and generally home-made. The 

 farmer and the members of his household 

 made the rakes, the forks, axe helves, shovels with 

 wrought iron edges, flails, baskets, ox yokes, cheese 

 presses, butter bowls and paddles. Even plow frames 

 and drags were fashioned by the aid of adze, draw- 

 shave and knife, from the timber of the forest which 

 stood almost at the farmer's door. 



The first plows were heavy, clumsy affairs, almost 

 wholly of wood except that the mouldboard was rein- 

 forced by bands of iron; and yet some of the older men 

 say that "Grandfather with one of these heavy wooden 



[43] 



