METHODS OF CULTIVATION 65 



The best form of disk, cut-away or spading harrow 

 for orchard use has the two sections arranged in such 

 a way that they may be set out a considerable distance 

 from the central line of the machine. They are enabled 

 in this way to run far up under trees where horses can- 

 not be driven. This adjustment is of the greatest con- 

 venience. 



The Acme type of harrow is excellent for surface 

 cultivation, especially in good, friable, clean soil. This 

 harrow is made also with the extension frame, so that 

 the two halves may be set out like wings to run up 

 under the orchard trees. On very stony, hard or 

 trashy land this tool does not work so well, but on the 

 ideal orchard land it is about as good a surface har- 

 row as has yet been invented. It is especially adapted 

 for breaking up the surface after dashing rains, and 

 for preserving the necessary dust mulch during dry 

 weather. 



The spring-tooth harrow is an excellent tool on 

 rough stony land. On very trashy ground it clogs 

 badly, and on wet land it does not do the best work. 

 On clean, light, friable soil, better results can usually 

 be secured, either with a disk harrow, an acme harrow, 

 or a common smoothing harrow. The spring-tooth 

 harrow is therefore a special tool for special cases, but 

 does not have such a wide range of usefulness as some 

 other instruments of tillage. The writer, from ac- 

 quaintance among farmers, is led to believe that the 

 spring-tooth harrow is used oftener than its merits 

 warrant, especially in New England. In many cases 

 some other cultivator could be used to advantage. 



Smoothing harrows of the ordinary sort, set with 

 teeth, are indispensable in orchard cultivation. The 

 best forms are arrans^ed so that the slant of the teeth 



