AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 287 



two acres to a depth of eight inches. Tlie soil is left in a JBnely 

 divided state, and the machine may be so set that the surface will 

 be turned to any required depth from one to twelve inches, while 

 the lower portion is disturbed without being elevated or mixed 

 with the surface- soil. 



Mapes' Soil Lifter. 



This. tool is so configured as to be easily propelled through the 

 soil like a mole, lifting the soil for a short distance, but the resolu- 

 tion of the line of force being upward and outward, even this short 

 distance of gradual lift renders the soil above it fine without ma- 

 terial displacement. When run to a depth of nineteen inches 

 under an old sod, it lifts it without turning, and the cut made by 

 its upright part closes behind it, thus leaving the sod perfect 

 again, but loosened- to the full depth of nineteen inches. When 

 used as a sub-soil plow it follows the surface-plow by a separate 

 team, and going far below the track of the surface- plow, loosening 

 not only the sub-soil, but by the slight lifting of one inch causing 

 the loosening of the previous furrow slice ; at the same time it 

 undercuts and lifts the standing side of the furrow, so that the next 

 operation of the surface plow is more effective, besides requiring 

 less power. A smaller size of this tool is used to run between 

 corn and row crops when first above the ground, lifting the rows 

 on each side of its track without abrading the roots, and leaving 

 the whole in fine tilth ; it does not, however, remove any weeds 

 from the surface, but rather encourages their growth in common 

 with that of the desired crop. After its use, say ten days or less, 

 when the ground has settled, then the weeds are all removed by 

 another horse tool known as the 



Root Cleaner. 



Of wWich Professor Mapes has a great variety. These skim the 

 surface, between rows, to a depth varying from two to four inches 

 or more, by forcing a V shaped piece of steel, point forward be- 

 tween the rows, with a comb behind placed at an angle. The 

 soil and weeds in passing over this comb are separated, the soil 

 falling through, and the weeds, however small, riding over the 

 comb so as to be left in the sun with their roots freed from soil so 

 as to decay readily. These are of various widths and kinds to do 



