Implements and machines used on Midlothian farms in the mid 1920s

By the 1920s adverts for displenishing sales include a wide range of implements and machines on farms. There are implements and machines for a wide range of processes in preparing the land, raising and harvesting crops, and processing them, as well as husbandry. There are also a greater number of accessories, for example for the barn. 

The adverts include a larger number of machines with the names of their manufacturers. These include Massey drills, Hunter hoes (from Hunter of Maybole), Massey binders, Wallace binders, Wallace mowers, Woods hay tidder (or tedder), Avery weights, Paxton plough, Corbett’s fanners, Jack imperial manure distributor, and Jack scarifier. All of these were from leading makers. There are fewer references to the materials used to make the implements and machines, signaling the widespread use of iron and metal. Stone continued to be used in the making of rollers. There continues to be a significant number of horse harness and manufactures for looking after horses and horse drawn implements and machines. In these adverts we still see very few tractors for sale: Currievale, Currie, had a Fordson tractor and plough for sale in January 1927. 

There are some implements that you might not recognize – dum tams are a metal arm with a marker at its end, attached at right angles to a plough, and used to mark the limits of ridges for the spreading of dung. Slipes were a kind of sledge, sliding cart, or drag – a wooden or other platform without wheels for moving heavy or cumbersome loads, hay, peats etc. 

Blackcastle, Tynehead (from advert in The Scotsman, 28 October 1926) 
The whole of the farm implements, including-6 swing ploughs, 2 D. M. ploughs, 1 potato ploughs, corn drill (Massey Harris), broadcast barrow, 3 turnip barrows, 3 land rollers, 1 scarifier (new), Hunter Hoe, 3 cultivators, 1 set chain harrows, 6 sets English harrows, 1 set grass seed harrows, 7 grubbers, 4 binders, turnip cutter, turnip cutting cart, 2 manure distributors, 9 box carts, 2 box cart bodies, 2 long carts, 7 long cart bodies, 1 cart frame, 2 dumb tams, 13 sheep hecks, 5 cake bins on wheels, 6 cake bins, 2 corn chests, net stobs, 11 hand made wire nets, sheep cake and turnip boxes, clipping stool, set fanners (Corbett’s new), 2 sets barn weights (1 set new, by Avery Ltd), 3 Hurleys, 2 sack barrows, stack and binder covers, ropes, hen coops, wheelbarrows, ladders, grindstone, and a large assortment of small tools.
Also 14 sets cart and plough harness, 15 stall collars, riding saddle, lady’s riding saddle, &c. 

Burdiehouse Farm, Loanhead (from advert in The Scotsman, 28 October 1926) 
The usual farm implements required for a farm this size, including:- five box carts, 4 long carts, 2 binders (Massey Harris), 2 hay collectors, 9 sets harrows, 3 double grubbers, 4 drill grubbers, cultivator, D. D. manure sower, Hosier corn drill, 5 ploughs, 2 iron rollers, 2 stone rollers, drill roller, turnip barrow, 3 corn chests, potato boxes and baskets, 12 FC troughs, 2 hen houses, 6 chicken coops, small tools, &c. Four sets cart and plough harness, dairy utensils, quantity household furniture. 

Saughtonhall Mains, Gorgie (from advert in The Scotsman, 16 October 1926) 
10 close carts, 10 long carts, dreg barrel, 3 cart frames, 4 binders, 3 mowers, broadcast sower, grain drill, double drill manure sower, manure barrow, 4 horse rakes, hay tedder, hay collector, 6 ploughs, 3 drill ploughs, 2 double furrow ploughs, 2 dum tams, 4 cultivators, pulveriser, 4 drill grubbers, scarifier, 5 sets harrows, 2 set square harrows, 2 set grass seed harrows, Permiter harrows, 2 set saddle harrows, Norwegian harrow, 5 iron rollers, 1 iron roller (2 horse), Cambridge roller (2 horse), stone roller, drill Cambridge roller, disc barrow, potato planter, potato digger, potato sorter, potato riddles, weights, stack scaffold, 2 turnip sowers, turnip slicer, 1200 potato boxes, 100 potato baskets, 20 rolls wire netting, net stobs, ladders, stack props, 3 sowing sheets, 3 stack covers, 4 binder covers, cart cover, 8 bales binder twine, cart ropes, 3 wheelbarrows, corn and meal boxes, barn and stable utensils, 3 cross cut saws, 2 dry feeders, incubator, henhouse and brooder, 12 hen coops, hen troughs and fountain, old iron, &c &c. 
Harness- 9 set cart and plough harness, set harness, 4 muzzles, 9 feed bags, 6 stable lamps, &c. 

Currievale, Currie (from advert in The Scotsman, 26 January 1927) 
Implements – 7 box carts, 1 long carts, 5 cart frames, 2 hay bogies, iron rollers, horse rakes, potato digger, barrows, sheep racks, grubbers, hay collectors, water barrel on wheels, potato planter, turnip sower, broadcast sowing machine, potato sower, scarifier, Fordson tractor and plough, drill ploughs, Dux ploughs, Hosier drill, swathe turner, manure sower, broadcast manure sower, mowing machines, swing ploughs, Paxton ploughs, 8 sets cart and plough harness, &c. 

The Haggs, Kirknewton (from advert in The Scotsman, 9 November 1927) 
Implements – 6 coup carts (broad wheels), 5 long carts (broad wheels), water barrel on wheels, waggonette, governess car, 3 binders (2 Massey, 1 Wallace), 2 mowers (Wallace). Hoosier grain drill, broadcast sower, double drill manure sower, Manure sower, potato planter, potato sorter, turnip sower, horse rake, hay turner, 3 hay collectors, cultivator, 4 chill ploughs, 2 drill ploughs, 4 drill grubbers, 3 sets harrows, 3 sets grass seed harrows, potato harrows, 2 metal rollers, Cambridge drill roller, Dum Tam, swingle trees, fanners (good), sack steelyard, turnip cutter, 3 ladders, stack props, 2 wheelbarrows, 2 stack covers, sheep wire netting, dairy utensils, incubator (70 egg, almost new), 1 brooder, barn and stable utensils, cart and plough harness for 4 pair, set driving harness, horse clipper, and a quantity of surplus household furniture. 

Heriotmill, Heriot (from advert in The Scotsman, 5 May 1928) 
Implements – 4 close carts, 4 long carts, luggage cart, binder (Massey, Harris), reaper, 2 metal rollers, 2 rick lifters, double plough, potato plough, 2 Dux ploughs, horse rake, hay tidder (Woods), Jack imperial manure distributor, 2 hay slipes, Jack scarifier, swingle trees, turnip barrow, water cart barrel, stone slipe, harrow slipe, grubber, cultivator, hay collector, 3 sets harrows, grass seed barrows, meat cooler, turnip slicer, sheep turnip cutters, 6 sheep hecks, sheep nets and stobs, 6 corn chests, 30 corn boxes (12 of them new), 200 flakes, 5 bars, cattle dishorner, 50 gallon paraffin oil drum, set of fanners, binder twine, mangle, 2 overend churns, 5 sets cart and plough harness, 2 sets pont harness, and all the barn and dairy utensils, &c &c.

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