DOI Artikel:
Bell, Jonathan: Harrows used in Ireland
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0207
HARROWS USED IN IRELAND
By
Jonathan Bell
Harrows vary widely in construction, so
that the most useful definitions of the imple-
ments have been functional. In 1844, the
Irish agriculturalist Martin Doyle described
harrowing as ‘very important in loosening,
pulverizing and mixing different particles of
earth, and in cleansing ground from weeds’
(Doyle 1844, 272). An English text, repub-
lished in Dublin in 1757, gives a definition
which includes another function of harrow-
ing: covering seed.
The Harrow, besides its use ... in break-
ing the Ground has another, which is
covering the seed ... this ... answers a
double Purpose; for beside the covering
of the Seed; it breaks the Clods once
again, and scatters a fine Dust over the
Seeds, which is of the greatest Service in
their first Growth (Hale 1757, 103).
A problem with both these definitions is that
similar operations can also be performed by
other implements. Some of these, for exam-
ple grubbers and horse-hoes, were products
of eighteenth and nineteenth century tech-
nological change. On very small Irish farms,
on the other hand, lumps of earth were often
broken using wooden mallets known as
mells (Sampson 1802, 190), and seed could
be covered with a hand rake (Micks 1925,
243). Seed was also sometimes covered sim-
ply by dragging a bush over the ground.
This latter technique was so successful that
eighteenth century agriculturalists devised
an ‘improved bush harrow’ made by twisting
pieces of‘whitethorn’ around an old farm gate
(Hale 1757, 108). Since many harrows do
have basic similarities in construction, how-
ever, fig. 1 is provided to complement the
functional definitions above and to give stan-
dard English terms for the most important
parts. These terms have recurred very fre-
quently in discussions on the construction of
harrows during the last two centuries.
This article attempts to describe some
changes in harrow types available for use by
Irish farmers. Most of the changes in design
recorded were the result of experimentation
from 1750 onwards, but harrows have prob-
ably been used in Ireland for at least one
thousand years. Archaeological evidence is
slight, but possible references to harrows are
found in even very early Gaelic texts. The
eighth century manuscript, the Crith Gah-
lach lists ‘da chapal /i/ do foirsti /u/d’ as part
of the possessions of an aire tuise (Binchy
1941, 16). It has been suggested that this
phrase means ‘two horses for harrowing’.
Another reference claimed by some scholars
as early evidence can be found in the Annals
of Ulster for 1013 A.D., when Gilla
Mochonna, king of South Brega ‘yoked the
foreigners under the plough and two for-
eigners pulling a harrow after them’ (O’Loan
1964, 19). References to harrowing have also
been found in Norman estate records. In the
‘Extent of the manor of Cloncurry’ in county
Kildare, 1304 A.D., it is stated that ‘the cost
of harrowing an acre whether for wheat or
oats is 3 pence. A one-horse harrow will
By
Jonathan Bell
Harrows vary widely in construction, so
that the most useful definitions of the imple-
ments have been functional. In 1844, the
Irish agriculturalist Martin Doyle described
harrowing as ‘very important in loosening,
pulverizing and mixing different particles of
earth, and in cleansing ground from weeds’
(Doyle 1844, 272). An English text, repub-
lished in Dublin in 1757, gives a definition
which includes another function of harrow-
ing: covering seed.
The Harrow, besides its use ... in break-
ing the Ground has another, which is
covering the seed ... this ... answers a
double Purpose; for beside the covering
of the Seed; it breaks the Clods once
again, and scatters a fine Dust over the
Seeds, which is of the greatest Service in
their first Growth (Hale 1757, 103).
A problem with both these definitions is that
similar operations can also be performed by
other implements. Some of these, for exam-
ple grubbers and horse-hoes, were products
of eighteenth and nineteenth century tech-
nological change. On very small Irish farms,
on the other hand, lumps of earth were often
broken using wooden mallets known as
mells (Sampson 1802, 190), and seed could
be covered with a hand rake (Micks 1925,
243). Seed was also sometimes covered sim-
ply by dragging a bush over the ground.
This latter technique was so successful that
eighteenth century agriculturalists devised
an ‘improved bush harrow’ made by twisting
pieces of‘whitethorn’ around an old farm gate
(Hale 1757, 108). Since many harrows do
have basic similarities in construction, how-
ever, fig. 1 is provided to complement the
functional definitions above and to give stan-
dard English terms for the most important
parts. These terms have recurred very fre-
quently in discussions on the construction of
harrows during the last two centuries.
This article attempts to describe some
changes in harrow types available for use by
Irish farmers. Most of the changes in design
recorded were the result of experimentation
from 1750 onwards, but harrows have prob-
ably been used in Ireland for at least one
thousand years. Archaeological evidence is
slight, but possible references to harrows are
found in even very early Gaelic texts. The
eighth century manuscript, the Crith Gah-
lach lists ‘da chapal /i/ do foirsti /u/d’ as part
of the possessions of an aire tuise (Binchy
1941, 16). It has been suggested that this
phrase means ‘two horses for harrowing’.
Another reference claimed by some scholars
as early evidence can be found in the Annals
of Ulster for 1013 A.D., when Gilla
Mochonna, king of South Brega ‘yoked the
foreigners under the plough and two for-
eigners pulling a harrow after them’ (O’Loan
1964, 19). References to harrowing have also
been found in Norman estate records. In the
‘Extent of the manor of Cloncurry’ in county
Kildare, 1304 A.D., it is stated that ‘the cost
of harrowing an acre whether for wheat or
oats is 3 pence. A one-horse harrow will