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<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:5cd76fb9-a4ac-0f96-fb26-b6108cb01353@nc.rr.com"><font
face="Arial">For you "older" guys, why did you run spring tooth
harrows? What implement replaced/obsoleted them? I've got one,
haven't used it in 20 years. Not sure it ever did anything but
burn fuel. When I was a teenager we would run a section harrow
behind the offset disc harrow if we were trying to break up
clods, level furrows, knock the dirt off roots, etc. Just
wondering what good a spring tooth harrow was/is. Yes I know it
will choke up in trashy ground, and pull hard if you set the
teeth way down.
</font></blockquote>
<p><font face="Arial"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For many citrus groves in Southern CA spring
tooths were a vital implement. They were widely used from the
'30's up until the late '50's, when non-cultivation practices
employing permanent furrows and herbicides sounded the death
knell for tractor cultivation.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The repetitive cultivation cycle for citrus
orchards was disk or harrow; furrow; irrigate; let weeds grow
for several weeks; disk or harrow; furrow; irrigate, and repeat
on up until the winter rains start. The first cultivation in
spring was always done by disking, since winter weeds could be
3' tall. Subsequent weed growth between monthly irrigations
usually was low enough, a few inches, for springtoothing. You
could run a gear higher pulling a wider springtooth than a disk,
plus it left the surface much smoother. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Top photo a Caterpillar brochure from the
'40's showing a typical citrus grove disc and below a
springtooth. Bottom photo a 4' springtooth I shopbuilt for my
Cub LowBoy that I used many years for working up my vegetable
garden plot. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Bottom line - springtooths have very limited
applications, but when you hit all their requirements they are
invaluable. Lacking that, you'll see them rusted and unused
along fence rows. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">- Richard<br>
</font></p>
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