From page 41
TILLAGE
such machines will have a
machines that have a number couple of forward operating
of other operating head
gears, reverse, adjustable
options such as power
tines of various configurations
brooms are available.
for different soils, and the
These small cultivators will
larger of these will have
reach no more than 10-15cm electric starters and even
and are best suited to
soft or sandy soils. In
heavier soils they tend
to ride up out of the
soil and bounce along
the surface.
Next up in size are
small hand-operated
walk-behind cultivators Chinese single-cylinder diesel rotavator with
typically powered by trailing seat
diesel engines.
4-5HP petrol engines.
Usually belt-driven, they have Larger still are the two-wheel
Chinese walk-behinds.
two shafts of tines and no
Powered by single-cylinder
wheels, and they are driven
forward by the pulling action diesel engines which are kept
of the tines as they turn. The in motion by a massive
flywheel these can either be
number of tines can usually
walk-behinds, to can be fitted
be changed to suit both the
with trailing seats. Traction is
by two small cleated wheels
and steering is by way of two
dog-clutches activated off the
handlebars. A feature of
many of these machines is
that the handlebars can be
slewed to either side so that
the operator need not walk in
the freshly tilled soil.
A rotary cultivator is but one
Wheelless Viking tiller
attachment on these allpurpose Chinese machines,
width of narrow beds and the
with sickle-bar cutters, rotary
type of soil being worked for
mowers, small ploughs, water
these machines, too, suffer
pumps, generators and trailers
from the fact that they are
being some of the other
light in weight and will also
implements one can buy.
ride up in heavy soils.
If you already possess a
Nevertheless they are a
welcome time-saver when
preparing long, straight
vegetable beds for spring
plantings, and leave behind in
their wake a smooth fine tilth
to a depth of 10-20cm.
Most are light enough to be
easily man-handled, although
the larger models of this type
are fitted with either permaHusqvarna rotavator with tractive
nent or removable wheels to wheels
tractor, even a small one, and
enable them to be tilted and
rolled to and from the garden your cultivation area is large,
a PTO-operated rotavator
beds.
might be your answer.
The next variation are larger,
heavier machines with tractive Machines are available from
1m working width upwards
wheels to keep them operating straight and level. Typically
Continued on page 43