Re: (ET) Plowing

[steve39 mindspring com]

I don't have my draft horse primer here with me or I'd give a nice 
(scientific) quote on how a moulboard plow actually works.   Basically 
though the moulboard serves to not only flip the earth over (covering any 
vegetation so it can decompose) but actually pulverizes the soil in the 
process. It does so by forcing the earth through the curve of the 
moulboard where the earth is compressed.  and I probably spelled moulboard 
wrong.

A tiller (in my mind) is really for finish work.  Its not really meant to 
go as deep as a plow.  I suppose on a full scale farming level the best 
comparison might be a culti-mulcher or culti-packer.  Plow, then disk, the 
finish the seed bed with the culti-mulcher or culti-packer.  Least that's 
what we all did before no-till farming came along.




-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Zach <czach computer org>
Sent: Sep 20, 2005 3:01 PM
To: "Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com>
Cc: steve39 mindspring com, Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) Plowing

Question:

So, in the farmer category of things, what is the practical difference 
between a plow and a elec-trak tiller? I use the tiller to churn up the 
soil rather nicely; does a plow do a better/worse/similar/different job?

Curious
Chris