The weeding team and Ledmore Nursery
The images are courtesy of Michael Lawrence of Bankfoot whose grandfather, Sandy Rose, was Forester and Head Forester at Ledmore Forest Nursery from 1950 (when land was acquired) until his retirement in 1969. In 1966 the nearby Strathord Forest was brought under his charge. The year of the photograph is estimated to be around 1957.
The team here are working with the tractor and a specially devised mounted tool on the tractor hydraulics which has tines that run between the lines of young trees. These will break up the compacted soil and drag any weeds out into the drying sunshine. The tractor tool bar also has a set of multiple tines at end of the bar which will run down the alleyways on each side of the lining out bed. Again these tines will loosen up the soil and bring any weeds to the surface.
Note the tracked Bristol 22 tractor has hydraulic lifting arms at the rear. This facility (also on the the Ferguson 20 tractors) enabled shorter length and ligher cultivation tools to be developed and fitted. The turning circle at the ends was considerably reduced when compared with using the trailed cultivators and ploughs.
The other members of the team most likely followed up closely behind the tractor dealing with any weeds missed by the machine. This would be a relatively fast and easily worked operation the bulk of the work carried out by the tines.
Michael with some help from his brother and older residents in Bankfoot has come up with the following names. They are from the left:
Andy Brand (hoe in hand)
Eck Ewart (tractor driver)
Young man?
Andrew Thain (at back in white shirt)
Chalmers Thain (jnr) (hoe in hand)
The names of the two men and other comments would be very welcome.
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