This plough is a good example of the type of garden cultivator that was used in Australia during the first half of the 20th century. This sort of cultivator was only suitable for small farming plots because it had to be pushed by the user. It was used to stir the surface of the soil to disturb small weeds so that they would not grow. It was typically done after ploughing and before seeding the soil. They were also useful for keeping down the weeds between rows of growing crops. At the time, many households grew all their own vegetables in the back yard. Planet Jnr cultivators typically featured either single or double wheels and came with an assortment of blades and tynes to accommodate all types of soils and purposes.
Designed by Planet Jnr, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Made by Planet Jnr, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA between 1885 and at least 1941. It appears in a 1941 catalogue from Queensland Pastoral Supplies Pty Ltd.
Earliest date ascertained from Old Farm Machinery in Australia, latest date from 1941 catalogue of Queensland Pastoral Supplies Pty Ltd.
Exact provenance is unknown but it would have been used in a small horticultural plot, probably in Sydney. These types of cultivators were only used on small areas because they had to be pushed by the user. Any plot large enough to warrant using a horse to drag a plough would have needed a different piece of equipment. As this particular object was in the museum's stores at Castle Hill it was possibly used in the grounds there during the early part of the 20th Century. This type of cultivator was imported from the USA and sold to individuals through large department stores (see copies from Lassetter & Co 1912, and Queensland Pastoral Supplies 1941 catalogues.
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