TILLAGE OPERATIONS 



75 



The Dung Fork is made on the same principle as the 

 cultivating fork, except that the tines, which are from two 

 to six in number, are slighter in structure, more curved and 

 of a rounder form. It is the only implement that can be Utilitycfthe 

 used with facility in the loading, turning over, mixing and ""^ 

 spreading of farm-yard manure, stable litter and such like 

 substances. Being light, although strong in construction, 

 it is not difficult to manage, and the sharp and thin tines 

 easily penetrate compact farm-yard manure without the 

 necessity of exerting much force. 



The Pickaxe is a strong, slightly curved bar of iron tip- 

 ped with steel, into the middle of which a wooden handle is 

 fixed so that the concavity of the curve is towards the opera- 

 tor. One end of the pickaxe is usually pointed, and the 

 other end flattened out and sharpened like an axe. The 

 handle must be of strong, hard wood of a pliable nature, for The handle 

 a brittle one would soon break in use. The pickaxe is used f^ij^y ^^j^g 

 as a powerful double lever ; and as an implement to break ^ double 

 up hard soil, and to cut the roots of trees in the ground. In ''^^^'"" 

 digging holes, and in throwing down banks, the pickaxe is 

 almost indispensable. 



The Digger or Earth Chisel is a very useful imple- The digger 

 ment for holing the ground for planting cacao, lime, orange, JJoW kind 

 coffee and other young trees. It is a strong, heavy chisel, 

 about four inches broad, fixed into a hard-wood handle 

 about three feet long. In digging deep holes, where the 

 pickaxe and hoe cannot be used, the digger is most service- 

 able. 



The principal instruments worked by cattle or horses are 

 ploughs^ cultivators, harrow^;, and rollers. They all do the 

 same kind of work as the manual implements ; but, as they 

 do the work much faster and cheaper, they are of course 

 employed in cases where extensive tilling operations are to 

 be carried out. 



