Wooden implements, especially ploughs and harrows, continued to be used into the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.There are numerous photographs of them being used in the Western Isles and Northern Isles, areas where traditional farming practices and techniques continued the longest. But they also survived in mainland Scotland until after the Second World War.
The Aberdeen journal published displenishing sales notices which referred to wooden harrows in 1950. They include the following:
Aberdeen press and journal, 30 January 1950
Displenish sale at Mill of Keig, on Saturday, 11th February, of the following belonging to Mr Jack Adam:
1 horse reaper, box cart, iron and wooden harrows, grubber, 2 ploughs, shim links, turnip sower, stone rollers, rake, Cahone sowing basket, 2 weighing machines and weights, box and sack barrows, bushel scoops, block and tackle, barn fan, buckets, picks, sack chain &c.
John Walker, auctioneer, Westside of Brux, Kildrummy
Aberdeen press and journal, 20 February 1950
Tomorrow (Tuesday), at 10.30am, weekly sale-
Implement sale-tractor and horse implements etc, entries include-Ransome tractor plough, tractor grubber, cultivator, Horwood-Bagshaw broadcaster (as new), 2 Banff Foundry broadcasts, manure distributor, S. T. harrows, wooden harrows, 4-wheeled R. T. lorry (tractor or horse), 2 box carts with frames, turnip cutting cart, 2 turnip pullers, drill plough, 2 shims, new portable poultry houses, iron gates, stirrup pumps etc
Central Mart, Huntly
Aberdeen press and journal, 5 May 1950
Displenish sale, at Malcolmsford, Alvah, on Friday, 12th May, at 6pm (belonging to Mr G. Morrison)
Box cart, Milwaukee binder, 5ft cut Albion mower (new), broadcast, manure distributor, metal roller, horse rake, brake, turnip puller, wooden harrows, three-drill shim, potato plough, sledge, yokes and swingletrees, box barrow, steelyard and weights, pulper, sack lifter, new canvasses for Milwaukee, binder and rick covers, metal water troughs, bath. Pigs’ troughs, barrow wheels, meal girnal, netting wire, corrugated iron, drain pipes, 2 25 gal drums, paraffin and oil drums, scythes, sharpening stool, forms, corn sacks, rick nets, coir yarn, ropes, three corner chest, mash boxes, hand and fencing tools etc.
Cart and plough harness.
5 poultry houses, chicken house, chicken coops and runs, ironclad incubator (100 size), Ellis brooder, Glevum Hover.
Aberdeen & Northern Martys, Ltd, Auctioneers, Turriff
Aberdeen press and journal, 6 May 1950
Damfolds, Netherdale, Marnoch. Displenish sale
The live stock, implements, smithy appliances and surplus household furniture etc, belonging to A. G. Hay, esq, will be sold by public roup on Thursday 11th May
Implements etc- box cart, turnip sowing machine, horse reaper with mowing attachment, single and drill ploughs, grubber, shim, wooden harrows, S.T. harrows (9 tines), stone roller, hasher, fencing posts, wire (plain and barbed), wire netting, wire stretcher, pinch, barrels trough, ladders, cart and plough harness, all the usual minor hand tools, petrol paraffin engine, 2 ¼ hp; small bruiser, portable henhouse, Glevum incubator (80 egg size)
Smithy appliances-bellows, anvil lathe, vice, tyre bender, ringing bed, screwing tools, iron, etc.
Johnston & Paterson, auctioneers, Auction Mart, Turriff
Aberdeen press and journal, 14 October 1950
Displenish sale at Abbotshaugh, New Deer, on Tuesday, 17th October, at 1pm prompt (belonging to James Adams, esq)
Fordson Major tractor with hydraulic lift and belt pulley; Fordson tractor on rubbers; standard binder, 5ft cut; Albion mower; Simplex manure distributor, Bamford potato digger; tractor grubber; Martin cultivator, 9 tines, self lift; dual tractor plough bar points and lift; Ransome disc harrows; tractor harrows; Cockshutt no. 6 DF plough and 10A 29 single body; ridger and cultivator, Newlands, hand lift; tractor trailer; 4 wheeled lorry; Sellar broadcast; set 3 rollers.
Note- the above tractor tools are all in grand order and worthy of buyers’ attention.
Box cart, horse rake, Balloch scarifier, chain harrows, single plough, D. B plough, shims, potato dresser, three drill shim, wooden harrows, grubber, 3 tines; steelyard and weights, barn fan, bushel, ladders, box barrow, B. R. & H distributor, paraffin drums 1250, 50 and 40 gals); 2 sets cart and plough harness, spare harness, pulper, spaces, shovels, graips and all minor hand tools; number of poultry houses, 2 Hover houses; Gloucester Incubator (150 size)
Aberdeen and Northern Marts Ltd, auctioneers, Maud
