Maxicultivator Tills, Sprays, Plants

Maxicultivator Tills,Sprays,Plants CULTIVATORS Cultivators (58C) 5-6-7 An Italian-designed machine unveiled at the recent Farm Progress Show in Illinois is claimed to offer "the first deep-tillage, one-pass planting system for planting nearly any type of crop." The Cantone Maxicultivator is designed to do the primary-tillage, apply fertilizer, spray herbicides and insecticides, incorporate the chemicals, smooth the seedbed, plant and pack the final soil cover ù all in a once-over operation. It can deep till to 20 1/2 in. in a 16-ft. swath. The machine folds hydraulically to 8 ft. 2 in. for road transport. Powered by a 12-cyl., 314 hp. Deutz air-cooled diesel engine, the Maxicultivator is designed to operate at up to 6 mph, or about 5 acres per hour, according to the American marketer, Charles Long of Shelbyville, Kty. Long has tested a Maxicultivator on his own farm for two years. A 60 to 70 hp. tractor is also needed to pull the machine, and to provide a pto power-assist in tough going. Tilling is provided by a 30 3/4-in. dia. roto-tiller. Dry fertilizer is applied pneumatically from the top-mounted hopper and incorporated by the tiller. A rolling harrow follows to smooth the soil ahead of the planter units. Either conventional or pneumatic planters are available. For corn and soybeans, Long recommends the standard gravity flow planters. For small grains, he suggests the pneumatic model. A roller-packer follows the planters to ensure good soil to seed contact. Herbicides, insecticides and liquid fertilizer can be applied with a spray boom at any point in the process. Long estimates germination can be improved 20% or more since the seed is incorporated tightly into the soil. He also figures up to 50% savings can be realized on fuel and labor costs with the Maxicultivator over conventional methods. It's designed to plant corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wheat and other small grains, beets, sunflowers, peas, edible beans and most small-seeded crops. Price tag on the new monster machine is $143,000, including the 314 hp engine that powers it. Long, who was quoting a "show special" price of $123,000, noted that the one do-everything rig replaces "upwards of $175,000 worth of equipment, including a 300 hp tractor, large disk, sprayer, planter, stalk chopper, moldboard or chisel plow, and five trips over the field". Long adds that the machine was first introduced in Italy 10 years ago and that 470 machines have since been sold throughout Europe, China and other countries. The parent cornpany in Italy makes a wide variety of agricultural equipment, including the leveling feature for International and Claas hillside combines, according to Long. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Casalee America Corp., 533 Main St., Shelbyville, Kty. 40065 (ph 502 633-5772).

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