Has anyone ever made, used something called a mumbler?

[Farmallb]

Its built out of, say 2 X 12 X however long one would want it. I could see makeing it out of 20fts, but it might miss some low spots in the field, where 2 sections of 10ft ea might work better but make somewhat of a less even field.
Its made by laying down a plank, and then one overlayed onto the first by say 4in, and this continued down to whatever width one wanted it to be, and nailed or bolted together.
Said to be superior to any tool for makeing out a flat area, and also for use in gardens and for fields for sowing fine grass seed. 2 holes, or 3 for long lengths are drilled midwidth of the board and, I would imagine chains were bolted on the underneith of the first board, so as to raise it while being pulled to keep dirt from building up at the leading edge. Its supposed to crumble and pulverize clods into smaller and smaller pieces as they are passed down from front to back.

It seems like, if it was braced for it on top, that one could drill holes front and back. Seems like, if one pulled it with each boards front leading edge hitting the dirt, instead of the way ive seen it drawn to be used, that each 2in board would hold a length of 2in of dirt, the length of the boards, and that would/could be disposited in any low place, each board as it passed it thereby raising the low spots, and lowering the high ones. Any thoughts?

 

[DeltaRed]

We call those "lapdrags"they are not used much any more.there are a few left in fencerows/ditchbanks.They did do a good job crushing clods and smoothing fields.

 

[Nebraska Cowman]

Dad called it a "float' we always pulled one behind the spring tooth harrow. It will hold plenty dirt without pulling it backwards. In fact depending on your soil type it may not work at all. I used one a few years ago to prepare for alfalfa seeding. It was a dry year and it worked real good. The next year the soil was wetter and it loaded up with dirt and I couldn't use it.

 

[GordoSD]

What's your source on this?

 

[Leroy]

Just called a drag and they would bury themselves in the dirt if it was fine. Only used one when needed 2 spike tooth harrows and only had one.

 

[Bret4207]

We call then "plank drags". They work good and they will level a field out if the soil is in the right condition. The only issue is when the soil is in the wrong condition, too soft/fine, and you can actually bury your seed in some spots and dig it up in others. Works good for busting up soft clods, but for fining a field or compressing a soft field a roller works better.

 

[Farmallb]

My source is a pretty, but not all inclusive book of some 368 pages with likely 600 pics of most tillage impliments, written by LR Miller called Horse Drawn Tillage Tools. I AM learning things I didnt know, but needed to.
For instance, He says that hilling up corn is a bad practice as it leaves more surface area to lose water with. I can see that. We always hilled up corn, I imagine cause we lived in the hills and in places it could be pretty windy, and they thought the roots growing in those hills strengthened the corn stalk. I can see where, now, that the corn stalk could be as strong, or stronger if it was planted and cultivation was done regulary with no intention of hilling. Unless one had extensive blowing or hard rains, I would think the corn plant would drive its roots down into the harder soil than that made of a ridge.

Also, LONG before my time, Everybody owned a walking lister planter. The idea was to plant the corn down deep, and then when harrowing and cultivating, the dirt would be brought down into the trench and that would cause a stronger stalk as it would place its roots into the bottom of the trench, and the falling dirt would act as a brace. I wager they quit it when they realized, in NE Kans, that when it rained in the early spring, that, if those listed rows wernt put in the right place, they could create some pretty good ditches with the runoff. Not only that, But they would channel the water down to the bottom of those listed rows, and either wash out the seed, or bring dirt down with the rain and cover them up too much. Ive never seen a lister around home that still had the planter attachment still on it. Dad couldnt remember what happened to ours, tho I image it went with alot of grandpas machinery during a hard times money crunch junk iron sale. Dad got rid of the sulkey and gang plow, a 1 row cultivator, a binder, and likely the lister planter attachment. He made us take all the bolts and nuts off and save them, and then he loaded and junked the rest.

 

[greenbeanman in Kansas]

The old exposed style of bed springs is great for dragging a lawn or garden area to smooth it and break up clods. Just used a set a couple of weeks ago on a lawn for the final operation before seeding it. I have used them before and when I hear of the old springs being tossed out I ask if I can have them.

 

[ET]

I've heard them called a planker.

 

[jackinok]

we always just called them drags.Ive used one similar to what you describe when planting grass,and also bed springs.Another one that works and is very inexpensive and last a long time, is to take a length of pipe ,say 2" whatever length you want,and weld some old tire chains to it.leaves a really fine seed bed but can bury grass seeds too deep.Best to use the drag before sowing,and then pack for good soil contact in my opinion.a word of advice,dont use a drag if your expecting high winds,or a big rain.leaves the ground so loose sometimes it can really blow or wash bad.ridges left by a cultipacker will help stop this.

 

[jackinok]

like you say ,and i always say ,it depends entirely on your area,we used lister planters because they saved moisture out on the drylands.But folks who had too much water planted just the opposite ,they wanted to dry a crop out some.thats why its good to talk to folks in your area and see whats best.

 

[El Toro]

We called them drags. We would have it behind a spring tooth harrow to level the ground when planting corn. We were still using horse and mules back then for planting. They would use one team in the morning and use another team in the afternoon. We would start early and work late. Hal

 

[MidTn]

We called them drags also. Pulled it with a team of mules. First job I ever had was riding the drag after the ground had been plowed. Probably started when I was about 7 years old. Ride that thing all day long.