The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-05-13
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HARROW AND HARROW AGAIN.
Liberal Use of the Harrow Advised by
the Farmers Review.

a Liberal use OF the HARROW AuNiseu Dy
the Farmers Review.
1t is not enough to give land the Gus
tomary single or even double tine of the
harrow as preparation and compile
ton of the spring seeding? One can
scarcely harrow too much where the
labor is cheap and the boys have little
else to do, Especially is this the case in
spring seeding, Fast termination is de-
sirable and retention of moisture too is
necessary, and both are brought about
by reducing the soil to as small particles
as possible. In fall seeding to rye and
wheat, narrowing is not SO necessary, as
it is found best to leave the land rather
lumpy; the Jumps are supposed to give
the plants some shelter in winter and
Furnish fresh soil for their roots in spring
when "weathered" or rolled down.
There are now at the command of the
enterprising farmer several different
sorts of harrows all of which may be
used to good advantage. In addition to
the old forms of drags and Scotch har-
rows, we now have those furnished with
levers, by means of which the teeth may
be made to take land" or merely tickle
the surface, These are great advan-
tage as they may be made to do both
heavy and fine narrowing. Among the
most recent inventions are the smooth
ing disk and spade harrow, which are
wonderfully effective in their service.
By means of these implements the
soil may be got into the best possible
condition for spring seeding, and there
is no longer any good excuse for sloven-
ly work. But not only should the har-
rows be used literally in the fields
seeded to spring grain. They may be
employed with great profit upon the
pastures where horses and cattle per-
haps ran all summer and fall and pos
sibly on many days in winter. In such
fields the harrows fine down all humps
Of manure and other matter and dis
tribute them thoroughly among the roots
of the grass plants. Besides this they
scarify the surface, which is often found
beneficial to old meadows and pastures
which have acquired hidebound con-
dition.
Winter rye and wheat are frequently
the better for a good narrowing in
| spring. At this season of the year the
roller, too, can be used to great advan-
| tage on the new meadows, where it is
often found that the young grass plants
have been partially thrown out by the
| frosts of winter. Indeed, it is a good
| plan on most soils to roll all moving
lands in spring, as firming the soil
around the plants leads to better growth
and also provides a smooth surface upon
which the mower may be operated with
greater comfort.
In Great Britain there is an nipple
ment in use by all farmers that would
prove equally useful here. We refer to
| the chain harrow, and we would be
| pleased to learn that some of our enter
| prising implement makers had put ii
upon the market. Instead of rectangu.
lar frames fitted with teeth the nipple
ment in question consists Of two webs
of chain mesh covering about the same
area as the usual tooth harrow. The
links are square and are made of fairly
thick red iron. For narrowing pastures
and meadows, for brushing compost OF
old manure into grass land, and for
gathering trash on land under prepare.
ton for root or corn crop, the chain
harrow can not be excelled.