HARROW

In Agriculture, a rectangular frame with a number of spikes inserted in it on one side. This frame, when dragged over ploughed land, breaks the furrow slices into small pieces, for the purpose of preparing the land for seed in some cases, and for covering the seed in others. The most common form of the frame of the harrow is rectangular, and the usual material employed is wood, with the spikes of iron; but in some cases both the frame and the spikes are of wood, and in others both are of iron. Occasionally the frame is a circle of iron; and the spikes are inserted in it, at such distances that when the frame is drawn along in a straight line, the spikes, or tines as they are technically termed, pa through every part of the soil traversed by the frame or harrow. In the common kinds of harrows the spikes are inserted at right angles to the frame; but in the Improved forms they are inserted at an oblique angle, or pointing forwards, by which means the harrow is drawn much more easily through the soil. The best implement of this description at present in use is Finlayson's harrow. This implement, by means of a long lever, can be regulated to such a nicety as to stir the soil to the depth of only one or two inches, for the purpose of covering gra or clover seeds; or it can be pre ed into it of such a depth as to serve, in the case of stubble lands, instead of ploughing. Wilkie's harrow and Kirk wood's harrow can be used for similar purposes. They differ nothing from Finlayson's in principle; but being on a smaller scale can be worked with fewer 546 [s. 560]