R A K 



R A K 



pofes in large gardens. The next fize fliould have the head 

 twelve inches l«ng, the teeth three inches, being placed one 

 inch and half afunder, which is proper for all common 

 raking in ordinary light ground, and for raking in moil 

 kinds of fmall feeds, as well as other pnrpofes. A third 

 fort of fmall rake fhonld have the head about nine inches 

 long, the teeth two and a half, being placed one inch afun- 

 der ; proper for fine-raking beds, borders, &c. and raking 

 in fome particular line feeds ; as well as between rows, &c. 

 of certain plants occafionally, where larger rakes cannot be 

 introduced. And the fmallell fort (hould liavc the head fix 

 inches long, the teeth two and n half, and placed one inch 

 afunder ; being very ufeful for raking between Imall plants 

 in beds and borders, and other fmall parts, where the plants 

 ftand clofe, as well as feveral other purpofes of that kind. 



It may be noticed, that all thefe forts of rakes arc con- 

 ftrufted both with wooden heads and iron teeth, and with 

 the heads and teeth wliolly of iron in both ; of whicli the 

 teeth are generally flattened, the back edge rounded oft, and 

 narrowing gradually to the point ; the other Itraight, and 

 placed on the heads edgeways acrofs, with the back edge 

 eutward, and with the points all inclining very moderately 

 fnward, in a regular manner : the wooden-headed rakes hav- 

 ing each end of the head hooped with a thin flat iron ring, 

 to fecure it from fplitting. It is very feldom that wooden 

 teeth are employed in this way, or for thcfe ufes. 



Thofeof the iirfl fort are generallythe lighteltand cheapeit, 

 being proper for any kind of garden raking ; but the latter, or 

 iron-headed rakes, when made neat and as light as poffible, 

 with the teeth well fet, in a proper pofition, and tirmly faf- 

 tened, are equally proper, and in lome cafes preferable, as 

 in fome wettitli or moift foils, as not being liable to clog fo 

 much as wooden rakes, and at the fame time more durable. 

 They are, however, more proper for middling and fmall 

 rakes than for large ones ; as, in flrong raking, the teeth 

 are more liable to get loofe than in the wooden-headed rakes. 

 Both the forts, in their different fizes, are fold at the prin- 

 cipal ironmongers' (hops, both with and without handles. 



And rakes having the heads, teeth, and handles, wholly 

 of wood, may fometimes be ufed for particular purpofes ; 

 fuch as raking in light kinds of kitchen- garden feeds in 

 light ground, and taking off large hoed-up weeds in wide 

 clear fpaces, raking up fwarths of mowed fliort grafs before 

 the fweepers, alfo fallen leaves of trees in autumn, and clip- 

 pings of hedges, &c. as well as ieveral other ufes about the 

 pleaiure-garden. 



Rake, Hay, a well-known tool, with (hort teeth and a 

 long handle, made ufe of in making hay. It is ufually made 

 of willow, or fome other fimilar wood, in order that it may 

 be light and handy. The teeth flaould not be too long, as, 

 when that is the cafe, they are apt to hang and pull among 

 the ftubs of the grafs in raking with them, and thereby re- 

 tard the operation, as well as caufe much fatigue to the 

 labourer. 



Different improvements have been made on this imple- 

 ment. A late ufeful alteration is the making the teeth to 

 fcrew into the head, and fatten with fcrew nuts, by which 

 the inconvenience of their dropping out in dry feafons is ob- 

 viated. It has been obferved, that with the fpring-toothed 

 rake, the operator is capable of performing much more 

 work than by the common one. They are likewife capable 

 of being conveniently made ufe of both for hay and corn. 

 They were originally made and fold by Mr. Cort, of Lei- 

 cetter. 



Another improvement is mentioned in Young's Agri- 

 cultural Report of Norfolk, which is the addition of wheels. 

 It is itated, that the " hand whcel-rake" of Fkg 13 an ex- 



cellent implement for both hay and corn : it is to anfwer 

 the purpofc of the common hay-rake, and is about four feet 

 long in the rake ; and the two wheels, of nine inches dia- 

 n.eter, fo fixed, that the teeth are kept in any pofture, at 

 the will of the holder. 



In (ome parts of Lancadiire, they make ufe of a large 

 hoile-rake for coUefting the hay together, and raking it up 

 from the ground, which is found to be highly convenient 

 and beneficial ; as one horfe, in one of thefe rakes, will per- 

 form as much labour as a great number of men, in a certain 

 fpace of time ; and befides the expedition, the work is con- 

 liderably better done, in confequence of the greater weight 

 of the implement. 



The head of the rake has fomething of a large eafy half 

 circular form, into which two ftrong pieces ol wood are faf- 

 tened, which conttitute the fliafts for the horfe. There arc 

 two low wheels beliind, and the head lias long teeth, curving 

 a little forward, iixed into it at two or three inches from one 

 another. The teeth may be made cither of wood or iron, 

 and fhould liave confiderable llrcngth. The whole has no 

 very great weight, though it mutt obvioufly be confidcrably 

 heavier than the common rake ; which is found of much ad- 

 vantage in its working, as has been hinted at above. 



Rake, Horfe, an implement ufed in Norfolk and Suffolk, 

 on the large and middling-fizcd farms, and, from its great 

 utility, extending itfelf into other diilrifts. It is employed 

 for barley and oat crops, being drawn by a horfe. And it 

 has been ftated by Mr. Young, that one man and a horfe, 

 driven by means of a line or rein, are capable of clearing 

 from twenty to thirty acres, in a moderate day's work ; the 

 grain being depofited in regular rows or lines acrofs the 

 field, bv fimply lifting up the tool, and dropping it from 

 the teeth, without the horfe being flopped. It coit from 

 four to five pounds. 



Figures of it maybe feen in the above Agricultural Re- 

 ports. Horfes have now been employed for working other 

 forts of rakes, and found of great advantage, as has been 

 already feen. 



Rake, Horfe Stubble, a large heavy kind of horfe-rake, 

 having ftrong iron teeth, fourteen or fifteen inches in length, 

 placed at five or fix inches from each other, and a beam tour 

 inches fquare, and eight or ten feet in length. In drawing 

 it, two horfes are moftly made ufe of, by which it is capable 

 of clearing a confiderable quantity of Hubble in a fhort time. 

 Tools of this fort are highly ufeful on corn farms, for col- 

 lefting this ufeful material, and fhould be much more fre- 

 quently employed than they are at prefent. 



Rake, Tzuitch, a large horfe-rake, employed in certain 

 cafes for clearing lands from the roots of couch, twitch, or 

 quitch-grafs, as well as thofe of other forts. It is con- 

 ftrufted in different ways, as with one or two rows of teeth ; 

 but the latter is probably the beft method, as by placing 

 one row oppofite the intervals of the other, it muft be ren- 

 dered a very effeftive tool. 



Rake of a Ship, is fo much over her hull as overhangs at 

 both ends of her keel. 



That part of it which was before, is called the rake for- 

 ivard-on ; and that part which is at the letting on of the 

 flern-poft, is called her rahe-nft, or after'ward-cii. 



When a fhip hath but a fmall rake forward-on, but is 

 built with her ifern too itraight up, ihe is called hluffe- 

 hsaded. 



Rake of the Rudder, is the hindermoft part of it. 



Rake, among Hunters. See Rag. 



Rake, in the Manege. A horfe rakes, when being 



fhoulder-fplaid, or having ilraincd his fore-quarter, he goes 



fo lame, tliat he drags one of his fore-legs in a femicircle.; 



I which 



