Displenishing sale notices provide an important record of the implements and machines that were used on specific farms at specific times. They record all the implements and machines used on a farm. These included all the main ones as well as minor ones, such as tools, utensils and sometimes home furnishings.
When a series of adverts are gathered from different time periods they can be used to show how the implements and machines changed (and also remained the same) on some of the farms. In the 1860s and 1870s some older technologies were also being used. These included wooden ploughs and horse threshing mills. There were also a lot of hand tools being used. There were also some key developments which helped to mechanise and make easier some of the tasks on farms. These included the introduction of implements and machines from the United States and Canada as well as mowers and reapers which were used in increasing numbers.
The following adverts show what implements and machines were being used in Kincardineshire between 1865 and 1891.
Brackmuirhill, Dunnottar (from Stonehaven journal, 19 October 1865)
The implements consisting of-2 box carts with tops; 1 lying and 1 water cart; 1 double boarded and 1 iron two horse plough; scraper; yokes, swivel trees, and harrows; 1 stone roller, with frame; 1 turnip sowing machine; horse harness; graips, forks and shovels; a threshing mill, fan and other barn furniture; paling and posts; cattle bindings; water cask and spouts; a large meal girnal, a patent milk churn, and a variety of other articles.
West Town of Barras, Kinneff (from Stonehaven journal, 19 October 1865)
Horse and harness; 1 cart and top lying cart; 1 two horse wooden plough; 1 drill harrow; 3 harrows; 1 stone roller, turnip sowing machine, fan and barn furniture, metal boiler and dairy utensils, &c; 1 horse threshing mill, 2 horse power, if not previously sold. Paling and posts with wire fencing.
Briggs, parish of Dunnottar (from Stonehaven journal, 19 October 1865)
Carts; ploughs; harrows; rollers; rollers; turnip sowing machine; threshing mill of two horse power with three levers attached; barn fan and other barn furniture; horse harness. &c pony cart and harness almost new; dog cart and harness; a large quantity of larch paling and posts; wooden shed; some household furniture and dairy utensils; and a great variety of other articles.
Gowans, parish of Glenbervie (from Stonehaven journal, 19 October 1865)
2 box carts and frames; 1 long cart; 2 iron ploughs; 1 double moulded plough; 1 iron turnip scrapers; turnip sower; harrows; shovels; graipes; horse harness; barn fan, and other barn furniture; a large quantity of larch pailing rails and posts; a small quantity of hay, and various other articles, dairy implements, and some household furniture, etc.
Auquhirie, Dunnottar (from Stonehaven journal, 24 October 1872)
Box and lying carts; water carts; stone and wooden rollers; turnip sowing machine; broadcast sowing machine; iron and wooden single and double boarded ploughs; iron, chain, and drill harrows; horse harness; grubber; meal girnal; turnip cutter; some wooden sheds; paling and posts; some hardwood planking; cornyard sticks; barn and dairy utensils, and a variety of other articles.
Cottonbrae, Fetteresso (from Stonehaven journal, 24 October 1872)
Box cart; hand water cart on wheels; wooden plough; 1 pair harrows; drill harrow, and iron grubber; turnip sowing machine; paling and posts; also, a quantity of wire; barn fan; bushel measure; graips; spades; riddles; horse harness, &c &c. Also, a threshing mill, unless previously disposed of by private bargain.
Meikle Tulloch, Durris (from Stonehaven journal, 24 October 1872)
2 box carts with tops; stone cart; iron and wooden ploughs; turnip sowing machine; iron turnip scraper; iron grubber; stone roller and frame; harrows; box barrow; graips; forks; barn fan; bushel measure, and other implements; horse harness; a quantity of wooden paling, posts, and wire fencing; and a few articles of household plenishing. Also, if not previously disposed of by private bargain, a good threshing mill driven by water power.
Mill of Uras, Dunnottar (Stonehaven journal, 2 November 1882)
Implements- 6 box carts with tops, 2 lying carts, 3 brakes iron harrows, 2 grubbers, reaper (Bisset’s, Blairgowrie), broadcast sowing machine, turnip sowing machine, 3 iron single ploughs, 1 four horse plough, drill harrow, 2 double boarded ploughs, 4 stone rollers, stone stathels, horse harness, barn fan and other barn furniture, graips, forks, tramp and shoulder picks, yokes, swiveltrees &c.
Blairs, Fetteresso (Stonehaven journal, 2 November 1882)
4 box carts, 1 long cart, 3 single ploughs, 2 double ploughs, 2 drill harrows, 2 rollers, 1 grubber, 2 brake iron harrows, 1 brake wooden harrows, 1 brake chain harrows, horse harness, spades, graips and shovels, barn furniture, broad cast sowing machine, turnip sowing machine, 1 reaper.
Candy, Drumlithie (Stonehaven journal, 2 November 1882)
Implements-4 box carts and tops, 2 lying carts, 4 iron two-horse ploughs, 1 iron three horse plough, 2 iron double mould ploughs, iron and wooden harrows, drill harrows, drag harrows, potato digger and grubber, metal and wooden rollers, turnip sowing machine, broadcast corn sowing machine, horse rake, 2 reaping machines, barn fan and barn furniture, barrows, graips, forks, ladders, &c &c.
Upper Wyndings, Fetteresso (Stonehaven journal, 21 May 1891)
2 carts, harvest cart, spring cart, light gig, Bon Accord Reaper and Horse Rake, Oliver Hillside Plough and other ploughs, barn fan and other barn furniture, horse harness, and stable furniture, and other minor implements and tools.
Brunthillock, Portlethen (Stonehaven journal, 21 May 1891)
Implements-1 box cart, 1 long cart, 1 spring cart, 1 brake wooden harrows, 1 brake iron harrows, D. B. plough, single plough, shim plough, turnip sowing machine, barn fan, wooden roller, grubber, spades, shovels, grains, forks, picks, yokes, swingletrees, rakes, horse harness, wire and wooden fencing, a quantity of household furniture and dairy utensils.
West Bendings, Kinneff (Stonehaven journal, 23 October 1891)
Implements-2 box carts with tops, 1 long cart with hakes, turnip sowing machine, reaper (as good as new), 2 turnip scrapers, 2 D. B. iron and wooden ploughs, 2 iron and 2 wooden single ploughs, grubber, 2 brakes, iron and wooden harrows, wooden roller, 2 turnip cutters, 2 drag rakes, horse harness, quantity of wire and wooden fencing and wire netting, ladders, box barrows, scythes, spades, picks, shovels, graips, forks, and a number of corn yard posts &c.
Broombank, Glenbervie (Stonehaven journal, 23 October 1891)
Implements- 4 box carts, 2 long carts, water cart, chain pump, broadcast sowing machine, turnip sowing machine, 2 reapers, 5 single and 3 double boarded ploughs, iron, wooden, and chain harrows, 2 drag harrows, 3 drill harrows, 2 grubbers, oil cake breaker, iron, wooden and stone rollers, horse rake, turnip cutters, weighing machine and weights, corn bruiser, 2 barn fans and other barn furniture, stone stathels, cattle bindings, cart and plough harness, 1 set gig harness, yokes and swiveltrees, box and sack barrows, mangle, cheese presser, scythes, shovels, spades, rakes, ladders, wire fencing and posts, dog cart, and a variety of other articles.
Feathers, Fetteresso (Stonehaven journal, 23 October 1891)
Implements-2 box carts with frames, 1 long cart, 2 iron single ploughs, 1 D.B. plough, grubber, 3 brakes iron and wooden harrows, turnip scraper, 4 rollers, reaper (in good order), turnip sowing machine, barn fan and other barn furniture, horse harness, wire and wooden fencing, box barrows, yokes and swingletrees, tramp and shoulder picks, graips, forks, spades, ladders, &c.
Smiddymuir Croft, Dunnottar (Stonehaven journal, 23 October 1891)
Reaper and binder with back delivery (by Wood), a very good worker and almost new, 2 reapers in good working order, mower (by Young, Ayr), 3 single ploughs, 2 drill scrapers, 2 turnip scrapers (one of them new), grubbers, pony cart, barrow, barn fan, dairy utensils, cheese press, and other minor implements, turning lathe and sliders, rest to suit the lathe, vices, shears, wrenches, anvils, fore and small hammers, bellows and forging tools, ring bending machine and metal bed, boreing braces, nippers, files, grindstones, spades, graips, forks, axe, ladders, metal pump a large quantity of screw tools, and a superior vertical (boreing) machine (a splendid worker).
