Planet Jr. Two-Horse Equipment

This information on Planet Jr. two horse equipment is from an old booklet which had been shared with us by Dave McCoy, a horse-logger from our parts. A special thank you to Dave from all of us. This sharing business makes this publication real. LRM

The No. 72 has five levers, and they simplify its control so that a boy can operate it with success. The center lever adjusts the hinged tongue regulating the depth of the front teeth and leveling up the machine to suit all heights of neck yoke. The outside levers regulate the depth of the teeth in the rear, while the intermediate levers are used in changing the widths of the gangs to suit irregular planting, without stopping the team. The levers open or close BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME EQUALLY, so that the teeth always work the spaces thoroughly.

The Equipment. Seven 2-1/4-inch x 8-inch reversible high carbon beveled steel teeth are carried by each frame. The four large plows are used in place of the front cultivator teeth to plow to or from the row; they are reversible.

Two wide shovels are useful for marking out two rows at once from 28 to 48 inches apart, or to use for hilling.

The Standards are hollow steel, the five rear ones being attached directly to the frame, because they do not need any adjustment except what is provided for by the levers; but the front standards are all adjustable for depth and angle, throwing to or from the rows as desired. All have break pins unless otherwise ordered.

The Four Adjustable All Steel Standards take the plows; these are used to plow to and from the row, and they enable the operator to cover at one passage two rows of manure or potatoes or corn, beans, etc., that have been dropped into furrows, up to 44 inches apart.

The Pivot Wheels work quickly and make the cultivation of crooked rows easy. They can be made stationary when desired. They adjust for all width rows, 28 to 44 inches inclusive.

The Arch and Seat are unusually high, 34 inches in the clear; the seat is adjustable back and forth and in height.

Plant Shields. Each tool is furnished with four plant shields. They make close cultivation possible when the plan.ts are small.

Think of the saving made in cultivating perfectly two rows of potatoes, beans, corn or any crop planted in rows not over 44 inches apart, at a single passage. This means double work at a single cost, for the arrangement of the fourteen teeth is such that all the ground is well tilled and no open furrows are left next to the row, while one man attends easily to the work, with one team. The No. 72 is especially intended for working crops often and at a moderate depth. For extra deep work or for heavy soil we sell a four-horse hitch.

For hilling and plowing the last time, the plows followed by cultivator teeth give fine results. For shallow surface work two pairs 10-inch Hoe Steels (with No. 2363-4 standards) and ten sweeps make a fine mulch.

No. 72G – Equipped with Automatic Spring Trip Standards. Where soil is stony, rough, stumpy, or rooty, it is difficult to use a cultivator equipped with solid standards without too many stops to replace break pins. So the demand is insistent for the best device to overcome this annoyance. Planet Jr. Spring Trips have been improved by increasing the strength of the compression spring, and can be recommended to be just what is needed. Spring Trips save a great deal of time and will come into wider use as their value becomes better known. Illustrations show their construction. New Spring Lift easily raises the extra heavy gangs.

Extra Attachments

Discs, Sweeps, Hoe Steels, Furrowers, fit the No. 72. All are specially hardened; correctly designed.

Spring Trips for Nos. 72 and 76 cultivators sold as extras or in place of pin break standards. See No. 72G, No. 76G.

Spring Tooth Weeder No 5361X can be attached between the gangs (with extra parts) and makes a very satisfactory weeder for early cultivation.

Discs, supplied as extras may be used as plant guards and take place of front teeth for disc cultivation. Two sizes, 12 and 14 inch.

Four-horse Hitch: Satisfactorily used until corn is 2 feet high. Furnished with heavy 88-inch evener, two 44-inch double-trees and two extra single-trees only; or with evener only, with connections.

Planet Jr. No. 76 Pivot Wheel Riding Cultivator combines in itself nearly all the practical advantages possible in a riding cultivator and is a time and labor-saver for every farmer who cultivates ten to a hundred or more acres.

The No. 76 works rows 28 to 48 inches apart, cultivating, plowing or hilling. Marks out rows 28 to 48 inches apart, two at once, and with the plows will cover or make up drills ready for seed sowing or planting.

The No. 76 is Simple – Roomy – Strong – Easily Handled. Every part is made of the best material, by thoroughly experienced workmen.

MASTER LEVER: An improvement that saves time and labor. Both gangs are easily raised and lowered with one hand, leaving one hand entirely free. So balanced that the springs raise the gangs when lever is released. Easy handle grip and quick-acting latch are features of this Master Lever that you will like. Gangs can be set independently with the left hand lever where a difference in depth is needed.

The Gang Frames are extra heavy, but improved levers with lifting and depth-regulating springs make for easy, perfect control.

Each standard has two holes in lower end so when cultivator steels wear down they may be let down for further use.

The Draft Control insures satisfactory work in all soil conditions.

Adjustable Stops regulate so that after turning at ends of rows, the cultivator goes to work at the exact depth as before, automatically.

Malleable Pivots and Steel Axles: Both practically dust-proof.

Steel Ratchets and Pins.

Spring Seat: Comfortable and large; adjustable up, down, back and forward.

The Discs can be set to throw to or from the row. When used to throw away, they act as plant shields.

Central Lever: Operates the hinged tongue, regulating depth of front teeth and leveling the cultivator. The same lever moves teeth instantly, closer to or further from the row, while team is in motion.

All Parts Steel except a few where Malleable Iron is better.

All Teeth Specially Hardened.

Extra Attachments

The Spring Tooth Weeder, illustrated, is a valuable, inexpensive extra attachment for the No. 76. Attached in center of the cultivator, it is very useful for first cultivation of corn, potatoes, etc. Eliminates need for separate weeder, separate operation, cultivating, weeding, pulverizing in row being done at one time. Can also be attached to the No. 72, with extra parts.

Tobacco Hoeing Attachment: Can be supplied for working tobacco, cabbage, potatoes, peppers and other plants set two to four feet apart in row, hoeing sides of row and between plants with work in clear view. Includes extra seat so that boy may drive while operator does the hoeing. Save 75% of hoeing in vegetables, says one big grower.

The No. 76D is the same as the No. 76 except equipment which includes only the eight cultivator steels and pair of plant shields. Other attachments supplied with complete No. 76 may be added.

No. 76G: Same as No. 760 but with Spring Trip Standards, for which there is an increasing demand.

The Planet Jr. Orchard and Universal Cultivators are Very Light Draft for the work they do. The Draft When at Work is Exactly in Proportion to Depth of Work. No tool works harder for the amount of work done than a disc, and next hardest is a spring tooth. No spring tooth will run as light as the Planet Jr. when working at the same depth.

Planet Jr. Orchard Cultivators are very popular for cultivation of orchards, vineyards, hopyards, and for fallow land work. They are also used for working and hilling two or three rows of crops, such as beans, potatoes, etc., when not over two feet high; also for making irrigation furrows. They cultivate much more thoroughly than the disc harrow and kill weeds better. The teeth are reversible, self-sharpening and specially hardened. Sweeps of all widths can be used for level cultivation, furrowers for marking out or hilling rows from two to five feet apart, and plows for covering two or three rows at once. They do work superior to the disc harrow, except in trashy ground, often doing twice as much at one passage with the same draft. For deep fallow work or alfalfa cultivation four horses may be used without injuring the tool.

No. 41 Planet Jr. Orchard and Universal Cultivator is built to combine strength, lightness, adjustability, and efficiency to the fullest extent in one tool.

The Steel Wheels are low and entirely enclosed by the frame; they are adjustable thirty to forty inches apart.

Without the Extensions it cuts 4 feet in width and has seven stiff steel standards, carrying 2-1/2 x 10-inch beveled steels, specially hardened.

With the Extensions it cuts 6 feet 6 inches, carrying eleven teeth, and the frame can be changed to cut any width from 6-1/2 down to 4 feet in width.

The Teeth. The regular equipment is 2-1/4 x 10-inch reversible steels, but other widths, and sweeps, furrowers, irrigation steels, and alfalfa steels, can be used on this machine.

As equipped, it is also valuable for cultivation of asparagus, artichokes, etc., planted in irrigated districts.

The Tree and Fruit Shield is placed on the right hand side to be used next to the tree row to prevent injury to fruit and limbs.

The Standards are adjustable up, down and sidewise. Made of heavy, high-carbon steel.

Side Hitch for Two Horses. With the tongue set 15 inches to the left, the No. 41 is arranged for working under low branching trees for orange and orchard cultivation. This creates some side draft, but that can be largely overcome by setting the teeth shallow next to the trees, and thus saving the roots as well.

Extra Attachments

For Three-Horse Hitch. Add to the above tongue arrangement a triple tree evener and single tree (Fig. 2). The tool then works admirably with no side draft.

Improved Sweeps. Made to cut 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, or 24 inches wide. Fig. 3 shows 5-inch sweeps which are excellent for level work and dry countries. Ten-inch are death to Canada thistles; 2-1/4-inch teeth in front and 10- or 12-inch sweeps in rear also make an excellent combination.

Furrowers fit this cultivator. Can be used for opening sharp-bottomed furrows and water furrows for irrigation. See Fig. 2.

Spring Trip Standards. We can supply these for orchard cultivators.

Irrigation Steels. Adapted especially for opening irrigating furrows.

Fore Carriage. This is a special attachment for the No. 41 Cultivator, and is shown in Fig. 4.

Alfalfa Steels. 1-3/4 x 9 inches. Good for renovating alfalfa and for deep tillage.

The No. 3 Planet Jr. Four-Row Sugar Beet and Bean Horse Hoe and Cultivator hoes four rows at once 18, 20, 22, 24, or 28 inches apart, three rows 24 to 30 inches apart, or two rows 36 to 42 inches. For 24-inch rows we recommend substitution of five 8-inch and three 10-inch Improved Sweeps in place of regular sweep equipment. For 28-inch rows we recommend five 8-inch and three 12-inch Improved Sweeps in place of regular equipment.

Wheel Adjustment: 52, 56, 64, 72, 80 and 84 inches apart. Clearance under tool bars is 11 inches.

Valuable Improvements

Master Lever: The operator can raise and lower the gangs easily with one hand. Lever pulls to lift and can be balanced by adjusting spring tension. The other lever is used to level the tool bars.

Two Double Tool Bars: Another tool bar has been added to the three formerly used, giving more strength and additional clearance of 6 inches between front and rear rows of standards. Sweeps are usually attached to rear pair of bars (or to front pair, if desired). Right hand hoes are attached to the first, the left hand hoes to the second bar of front pair (or to first and second bars of rear pair when sweeps are placed in front of hoes).

A convenient lever moves, in opposite directions at the same time, the pair of bars holding the hoes (lever attaches to front or back pair) changing distance between all pairs of hoes at once, as needed. Figures on bars show where to set hoes and sweeps.

Chisel Teeth: For early and close cultivation in sugar beets; for crust breaking, deep cultivation, breaking up hard pan. Can be used close to the row without throwing any soil or damaging the smallest of plants. They cultivate thoroughly right through the hard pan, considerably deeper than the regular teeth. Length, overall, 20 inches. The knife edge, running 9 inches above the point, slices through soil and top crust without throwing any, the lower 2 inches curving in to insure right penetration. Pitch of the point insures proper suction; point is renewable. Chisel Teeth fit clamps on No. 3, No. 54, and No. 53 Beet Cultivators.

Clamps: Improved to securely hold standard on front or back of bar as well as between them.

Scrapers: All wheels; adjustable.

Stiffeners for Tool Bars: Fixed, cannot move out of position.

Hoes: Have a down cut next the row while shielding the plant; curved shape allows closest hoeing at surface, while rounding away from roots. The standard is set away from beet tops and the front of hoe acts as a leaf guard. Umbrella socket furnished.

Five Irrigation Shovels are worked behind the hoes, the hoeing and ditching being done at one time.

The thirteen 1-1/4 x 8-inch cultivator steels with standards are valuable for late cultivation of beets and similar crops; and for orchards and fallow ground.

Extra Attachments

Improved Half Sweeps, 5 and 7-inch cut; sold in pairs, very valuable for use after the first or second hoeing to break crust in the row, lift the leaves, and throw just enough soil to the plants. Fill a long-felt want.

Crust Breaking Rollers: Supplied as extras.

Discs: 10 and 12-inch, can be used in place of hoes. Sold as extras.

Plant Shields: Desirable for early cultivation with cultivator teeth; they are clamped directly to the tool bar. Supplied as extras.

The No. 54 Planet Jr. Two and Three-Row Beet and Bean Cultivator is built on the same general lines as the No. 3, and cultivates rows 22 to 42 inches apart. It is especially designed for use where soil conditions are too heavy for two horses to handle a four-row cultivator, or where ground is not as smooth and level as in irrigated sections. Since the first No. 54 was put to work in Michigan in 1922, it has become the most valuable cultivator of its kind wherever it has been tried out.

Improvements

Double Tool Bar: One bar 73 inches wide, the other 85 inches wide, interchangeable front or back permit cultivation of two rows up to 42 inches apart. The two bars give 6 inches further clearance between teeth; maximum space between teeth 18 inches. A very valuable feature in weedy ground. Range of adjustment on tool bar increased. More flexible; levels up better.

Master Lever: Up to the minute in design. Stiffer, better balanced, easier to operate. Pulls to raise gangs.

Pin Break Standards: Eliminate bending of standards in rocky soil.

Frame: Strengthened by Channel Bar section.

Increased Width of Cultivator: Permits wheel adjustments 40, 44, 48, 52, 56 and 60 inches apart. Clearance under tool bars is 10 inches.

Wheels: Adjustments simplified. One man makes in half time adjustments formerly requiring two men.

Standards: Stronger, straight, side offset, rear offset. Straight standards set on front bar; offsets on rear bar.

Shields: New style, floating.

Two pairs 6-inch Hoes, two 8-inch Improved Sweeps, and one 10-inch Improved Sweep make a complete Hoeing Attachment for level cultivation of rows up to 36 inches apart.

The Hoes and Sweeps give thorough cultivation, yet leave the soil mellow and level. The Hoe blades have just enough suction to penetrate hard ground readily and break up the soil. Curved shape of hoe nearest row allows very close cultivation without covering plants or laying roots bare. Inclined cutting edge slices through crusted surface without pushing lumps to injure or destroy young plants. Front of hoe acts as leaf guard. Standards are set away from row, leaving room for plants in later cultivation.

The Improved Sweeps have narrow necks and are nearly flat so that soil falls in close behind standard, leaving soil level.

Wedge Clamps: Improved. Permit quick changes of standards.

Special Equipment for Narrow Rows: For cultivation of 20- to 24-inch rows only. When this equipment is desired, order a No. 54D, plus seven 2-1/4-inch cultivator steels and four No. 5181 standard extensions.

Three-row Work: The No. 54 hoes or cultivates three rows up to 28 inches apart, with castor wheel offset 14 inches to right. Extra equipment needed: Standards-2 No. 1990, 1 No. 4178, 2 No. 4117, 5 No. 5181 Extensions-1 pair hoes, 5 2¼-inch steels, 5 clamps, 1 10-inch Improved Sweep, 1 offset bracket for castor wheel. Also cultivates four 20-inch rows.

Shields are desirable for early cultivation, with cultivator teeth. Supplied as an extra.

Improved Half Sweeps: 5- and 7-inch cut. Very valuable after first or second hoeing to break up crust in the row and throw just enough soil to the plants. Sold as extras.

Discs: 10 and 12 inch; preferred for first cultivation in some sections; used on hoe standards. Supplied as extras.

Irrigation Steels: Supplied as extras.

Blocking Shields for Beet Hoes: After Beet Hoes cut soil away from row, Blocking Shields throw a little more from the row, leaving a narrow ridge which makes blocking easier.

The No. 53 Planet Jr. Two-Row Walking Cultivator is an economical and profitable one to use for the cultivation of market garden crops, truck crops, sugar beets and beans. The No. 53 works two rows 16 to 26 inches apart and, with a 12-inch improved sweep in place of 8-inch in center of cultivator, 28- or 30-inch rows. If cultivator teeth are used, two extra standards and clamps are required to thoroughly work the middle space.

The No. 53 is all steel except the handles; can be steered to perfection by means of the pivot wheel and hand lever.

The wheels adjust from 32 inches to 52 inches apart.

For shallow cultivation the hoes and sweeps do admirable work and leave the ground practically level. For deeper work the narrow cultivator teeth do thorough work without lifting the ground to any extent.

All cultivating attachments are made of special steel, carefully hardened to give long service. The wedge clamps, so satisfactory on our Beet Cultivators, are used. Quickly tightened or loosened by the blow of a hammer or wrench.

Irrigation Steels with special standards to work behind the hoes, in place of the sweeps, can be supplied. Or they can be used alone on the standards which carry the sweeps or cultivator teeth. Supplied as extras. Ten and twelve-inch discs, used in place of the hoes for first cultivation, are very popular in some sections. Supplied as extras.

Plant Shields: Desirable for early cultivation with cultivator teeth. Supplied as extras.