Aw.............!!!

'Taint this one purdy!! Darn things are just plain hard to find anymore! :>)

Allan

It is a 3-point IH Cyclo 500 air planter.

I'm trying to find one in a 6-30" row version. The narrow versions didn't have the "dolly-trail" or lift-assist wheels.

This is the air planter that everyone under the sun cussed and hated. But if they are set up correctly, they work sooooo sweet and you can plant just about as fast as you can drive a straight row. :>)

Thanks for the hollar,

Allan

I had a young lad with farm background working for me. His father was an excellent tractor operator. This young man was a good worker and for the most part a good tractor operator. I tried everything imagionable to get that young man to plant corn in straight rows. That fall he went to University, some 120 miles away, met a young lady, so he wanted to find a summer job near where he was at. He phoned one night, advised he was sending a resume to an aquaintance of mine, could he use my name as reference. I advised he could do that, but questioned what might happen if Mr. P asked if he could plant straight rows. I was at a grain producers meeting some 2 weeks later and yes, Mr P did ask.

He got the job, and his first asignment was plant 800 acres of corn with a 966, 6 row cyclo and chemical saddle tanks on tractor doing herbacide at same time. He did plant corn in straight rows finally. I guess my 656 with 4 row cyclo and no spraying equipment didn't chalange him enough.

'Course we farm on the flat where things are oftentimes done a bit differently, but I've found that the biggest thing that guys do wrong in both planting and cultivating is to have their hitch locked up rigid instead of letting it "sway". If it is left rigid, every little 'wiggle' is transmitted back to the implement.

Also, ‘trying too hard’ can contribute to the crooked rows. :>)

Allan

Biggest mistake I've seen guys make trying to make straight rows, is setting their markers for running front tire on the marker line. Look right down the radiator cap and center line will make the job a whole lot easier. I had a couple of fields followed curve in a highway. Most guys had trouble keeping row spacing right on that curve. It was a case of may as well follow the curve as river on other side of field had almost the same curve. Try and make straight rows in that situation, and one will waste a lot of time planting, spraying and harvesting.

Yeah, I hear ya. Also, different parts of the world use diffferent methods.

I think we stopped using anything but wide fronts clear back in '54-'55 or so.

Also, our fields are smaller and I like the mounted equipment to make for a shorter headland (just made the flood irrigation work better). Prior to the advent of the circles, fields around here were always less than 100 acres.

I've seen some of the fields you guys work up in the north country; 600 acres at a pop! :>)

Allan