Inter-row cultivator machine at 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.
Another mystery machine with no information other than the title of ‘Cultivating Machine’. It is a bit like a self propelled bedstead with no indication of its origin but possibly a purpose built machine from the horticultural sector. The PDF below has several views of the machine.
It is a front steering, rear wheel drive assembly which covers in this case six lined out rows of young trees. Within the frame a rotating shaft covers the width of the nursery bed. Fixed onto it are 5 pairs of rotating discs with angled hoe blades fitted. The pair of discs and its hoe blades runs down the space between two lines of trees hoeing over the soil as it moves forward. A single disc on either side of the shaft, again with some angled hoes fitted, cultivates part of each alleyway.
Refinements, not easily spotted, are the boat shaped guard plates fitted in front of the rotating pairs of discs. The sides of the guards appear to partially enclose the pairs of discs and hoes with the aim of protecting the sides of the young trees from any abrasive damage. On this trial only two of these guards are fitted. It appears that the disc assemblies can be adjusted to any point along the shaft by the fitted clamping bolts.
Any information on this machine would be very welcome as would names for any of the team on looking and operating the cultivator. It is possibly Sandy Rose looking on from the far right but not certain.
Please see the PDF below which has more images of the machine and includes an overview of the finished result of one pass over a nursery bed.
Download Large Version (464kB)
Groups: Forest Nurseries, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Other Vehicles and Machines