WEED HARROW, ggj 



V. 



Account of Mr. Curwen'* Drill Horse Hoe, or Weed 



Harrow.* 

 SIR, 



/IS one great and most important advantage of drill hus- Adyanta e 

 bandry proceeds from the opportunity of cleaning foul drill ffll/. 

 grounds, as also of breaking and loosening stiff soils, to 

 give the power of extension to the roots of grain; what- 

 ever can facilitate these operations, will, I flatter myself, 

 be deemed worthy of the attention of the Society. 



Having hitherto found great difficulty and much labour DifficuU 

 necessary in accomplishing the cleaning of wheat and other cleaning from 

 grain, I have been led to make some experiments, and lam Weeds ' 

 sanguine in my hopes, that the harrow I send for the in- 

 spection of the Society will be found to accomplish the pur- 

 pose with greater ease and facility, than any thing at pre- 

 sent in use. 



The simplicity and ease, with which it is worked, have en- Harrow for this 

 abled me, this season, to give my wheat crop, which exceeds P ur P°se. 

 ©nehundredacres, two cleanings, and at an expense of some- 

 what less than a shilling per acre each operation; a man and 

 boy, with one horse, being able to clean above seven acres 

 a day. The direction of the harrow, to prevent its in- 

 juring the grain, is effected by an alteration of the chain, by 

 which it is attached to the wheels. The distance of the 

 teeth from the centre tooth must be regulated by the width 

 of the drills. In case they exceed a foot, the harrow should 

 be broader, to admit of another row of teeth. To clean at 

 nine inches, two inches and a half are allowed on each side 

 of the centre tooth, by which means every part of the earth 

 is cut between the rows of grain. The size and strength 

 of the teeth must be regulated by the nature of the soil. 

 The thing is so simple, that I hesitated laying it before the 

 Society, till I was encouraged by persons, whose experience 

 and knowledge are infinitely greater than my own. 



The complete introduction of drill husbandry would, I Drill husbandry 

 conceive, be of great national importance, and under this recommen<Ied - 



* Transactions of the Society of Arts, for 180C. 

 Vol. XVIL— August 1807, U con* 



