Simplicity 1003 - Page 10

S im i
Operation
You will want to till to a depth that suits the seed
you will plant. As a rule, till at least 2 inches (50
mm) deeper than the normal planting depth for
the seed. The usual planting depth for com, as an
example, is 2 to 3 inches (50 to 76.2 mm). Using
the rule above for this example, till the soil to a
depth of 5 inches (127 mm) or more.
to enable the tines to pick up the small area that
otherwise would be missed.
Turning the tiller around at the end of a row for
the next pass in the opposite direction is best learn¬
ed by experience. One method is to disengage the
forward clutch, lift up on the handles and pivot the
tiller on the tines. A combination of the forward
Plan ahead and determine the best tilling pattern
before you start. Consider the size and shape of the
area to be tilled. Keep in mind the hardness of the
soil. Under normal conditions, tilling is best done
by making long passes alongside previous ones
(item A, figure 5). In hard-packed soil, steering
problems can be reduced by skipping one tiller
width from the previous one (item B).
In places where rows are slightly wider than the
tines, it is possible to wiggle the front of the tiller
back and forth slightly as the tiller moves forward
and reverse clutch together with pivoting of the
handles may be used for the model 1005.
Do not till when the soil is very wet. This causes
lumps which are difficult to remove. Soil that is
moist enough to roll into a ball is too wet. If the
soil is extremely hard and dry, it may be desirable
to cross-till an area (item C, figure 5) at shallow
depth first. Then till deeper in the direction the
rows will be planted at desired depth. Soil that is
tilled at scheduled intervals is usually much easier
to till.