When Father Plows The Soil

When father gits up in the morn jes’ ‘fore the break uv day

‘An starts tew do his chores an’ gits his farmin’ under way,

Then all we youngsters hafter jump frum bed an’ flax eround,

‘Cuz father’s full uv biz’niz  when he starts to plough the ground.

We hafter milk a dozen cows an’ turn ‘em in the lane

An’ clean a pair uv horses off an’ feed ‘em hay an’ grain,

An’ git ol’ “Duke” an’ “Brindle” yoked, all ready fur the fray,

An’ hev our breakfast swallered down around the break uv day.

When father starts to plough the soil he hustles us around,

An’ carts an’ chains an’ farmin’ tools are scattered o’er the ground;

The course-toothed harrer an’ the brush, the drag an’ whiffletrees,

The side-hill plow an’ the straight-way an’ many things like these.

The jug uv water in the shade, the welcomest uv all,

An’ whips an’ hoes an’ stakes an’ things a-leanin’ ‘gainst the wall.

A busy scene at early morn, a scene uv rush an’ toil,

When father gits his implements an’ starts  to plow the soil.

Now if you think farm life is dull, an’ farmers all are slow,

An' settin’ round the village store is all we do or know,

Jest come down here in Gungawamp when father starts to plow

The soil and you’ll think different frum what yew’re thinkin’ now.

May 6, 1902

A harrow is an implement for breaking up and smoothing out the surface of the soil. In this way it is distinct in its effect from the plough, which is used for deeper tillage. Harrowing is often carried out on fields to follow the rough finish left by ploughing operations. The purpose of this harrowing is generally to break up clods (lumps of soil) and to provide a finer finish, a good tithe or soil structure that is suitable for seedbed use. Coarser harrowing may also be used to remove weeds and to cover seed after sowing. Harrows differ from cultivators in that they disturb the whole surface of the soil, such as to prepare a seedbed, instead of disturbing only narrow trails that skirt crop rows (to kill weeds).

There are four general types of harrows: disc harrow, tine harrow, chain harrow and chain disk harrows. Harrows were originally drawn by draft animals, such as horses, mules, or oxen, or in some times and places by manual laborers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrow_(tool)                      

(picture: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/16900/16900-h/16900-h.htm#fig_57)

drag
Farm Machinery and Equipment
https://books.google.com/books?id=DWo4AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA372&lpg=RA1-PA372&dq=antique+plow+drag&source=bl&ots=arAiFW1WK0&sig=D1gelGAsemKKvVZo8SVSY_bFiOE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aEdBVcaNAoq3sAX37IHoBQ&ved=0CKsCEOgBMC0#v=onepage&q=drag&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=YdoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA864&dq=plow+brush&hl=en&sa=X&ei=60pBVa6WCYXXsAW9h4HwAw&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=commerce&f=false

A whippletree or whiffletree is a mechanism to distribute force evenly through linkages. The mechanism may also be referred to as an equalizer, leader bar or double tree. It consists of a bar pivoted at or near the center, with force applied from one direction to the pivot, and from the other direction to the tips. Several whippletrees may be used in series to distribute the force further, such as to simulate pressure over an area as when applying loading to test plane wings. Whippletrees may be used either in compression or tension.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whippletree_(mechanism)