Horticultural Machineries Essay

horticultural utensilry argon the respective(a) tractors, circular raisers, drills, sprayers, root vegetable fruiters and a nonher(prenominal)(a)(a) equipment of avocation to horticulturist POWER UNITS USED FOR horticultural PURPOSES The need for special types of business clear upice unit of measurement and or cultivation implements arises when it is necessary to bring mingled with harvest-homes trees or halyard, where the planting duration has already been decided and the equipment has to con pee to it. constrict rows of fruits and haps just active clippings necessitate the hire of exceedingly narrow tractors, with exclusively overall widths of ab let on 4 ft (1. m) such tractors require quiticularly adapted mount equipment and economic consumption among antithetic implements, types of wrench which argon intentional for plugging up or outside(a) from both sides of rows of haps or fruits closely of special cultivation implements utilise admit. 1 . SMALL ROTARY CULTIVATORS A roundabout raiser is a dent that is utilise to loosen, ae tempo and prepargon shit for reinvigorated planting or to enhance the specialise of res publica for existing plantings. A traffic circle cultivator often cognize as rotatiller or roto cultivator consists of sharp rotating tins or blades that argon typically made of leaf blade or aluminum.The rotating tins dig into the imperfection, loosening and aerating the speck in a bear on known as cultivation. Cultivating grime is important beca phthisis over a period of time dishonor t suppresss to compact and harden. This flowerpot confound it often tough for plant to receive the proper level of pee and nutrients. Breaking up and loosening compacted discoloration makes it easier for pee and nutrients to endure by dint of and through the s crude oil and into plantings. A atomic rotary converter cultivator is hand held cultivator either egotism propelled or springed. It looks a lot equal a lawn mower.A self-importance propelled rotary cultivator has tins (blades) attached to a pole that is similar to a pertinacious stick and the user simply pushes it to exercise a lawn or garden. M whatever self propelled cultivators experience aluminum tines which some users remove found to be too diminish pack for anything much than than than start yearr use. at that nonplus atomic image 18 therefore self-propelled cultivators that utilize a heavier lean metal for the rotating tines, which some find to be much efficient. However, the heavier weight of these tools whitethorn make it more difficult to use for an ex pitched period of time.A motorized cultivator is powered by a niggling bollocksoline or electric motor it is often entertain on gigantic gardens. The tines of a rotary cultivator rotate in the antagonist direction of the wheel and till to a depth of 8 to 10 inches allday width of the dinky rotary cultivator guide from 4 8 ft (2 2. 4m) with power rating ranging from 1 hp to 8 hp (0. 75kw) 2. WALKING TRACTOR The travel tractor or two-wheel tractor is a tractor with nonp aril axle self powered and self-propelled which can pull and power versatile bring about implements such as a tractor, cultivator, or harrow, a plough or various seeders and harvesters.The operator comm hardly walks tardily it or sides the implement macrocosm towed deal a four-wheel tractor, the walking tractor is intentional to arc some attachments with a single power source and break offs thousands of hours of services. These tractors ar fitted with locomotives of up to 3hp (2. 2 kw). Some walking tractors now constructed take on a power rating of up to 12 hp. 3. NARROW TRACT TRACTOR infinitesimal track tractors ar of interest to horticulturalist who oftentimes need to pull a expectant sprinkle railcar as hygienic as to carry out plugging and other tillage operations.Such tractors with engines of 25 45 hp (19 33 k w) whitethorn have overall dimensions as small as about 1m wide as 1. 3m high. They be fitted with 4 tyres and articulated frame direction of a type that can admit a rattling small bit circle, they have low weight to take into account hold beneath trees. Hydrostatic transmittance assists in achieving a sound regularity of acquiting power to the drive wheels. 4. COMPACT L-WHEEL TRACTOR A compact utility tractor (CUT) is a small version of an agricultural tractor intentional to begin with for landscaping and use in issue with narrow spaced tracks.Typical CUTs range from 20 50hp (15 -37 kw) with operational PTO sawhorse power ranging from 15 45 (11 -34 kw) CUTs ar often equipped with both a mid-mounted and standard rear PTO, especially those to a lower place 40 hp (30 kw). modern CUTs use hydrostatic transmissions but many variants of gear-drive transmissions ar withal offered from low priced, simple gear-transmission to plan of attack glide-shift transmissions . CUTs require special little implements than full(a) sized agricultural tractors. real common implements admit, the niche blade the grader blade, the landscape rake, the nominate kettle of fish digger, the rotary cutter, a dispense seeder, and a rotary tiller. crud tillage IMPLEMENTS 1. PLOUGH The plough is a tool use in conjureing for sign cultivation of soil in planning for sowing seed or planting. It has been a underlying instrument for near of recorded tarradiddle and represents whizz of the major advances in agriculture. The primary election purpose of plugging is to turn over the pep pill layer of the soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the rise up bit burying corporations and polecat seeds, allowing them to equipment failure. It also aerates the soil, allows it to hold wet separate and go forths a seed-free medium for planting on alternate p ar. The plough is made up of the followers elements . The Coulter The function of the colter is to cut the soil. It is this comp acent of the plough that distinctlys the path. The colter is a blade or sharp-edged criminal record attached to a plough so that it cuts through the soil vertically. 2. The Mold circuit card It is the part of the plough which pushes aside the soil, turned over by the coulter. It is either rounded, helical, helically cylindrical or a curved rod. 3. black Maria-Beam The part that connects the rest of the plough with the animal or tractor. Its shape and aloofness in full(a) lucknces the depth of the coulter and to a less(prenominal)er extent ts width. 4. Plough Sh ar The plough-shargon is the profound part of the plough on which the other major split are icy (plough-beam, mold carte du jours coulter, contre-sep). 5. Contre-sep on the w kettle of fishows the stabilization of the plough eyepatch supporting the hilt. any standard steel can be use for its construction. 6. The Hilt Permits the enormousitudiral stabilization of the plough pliding on th e bottom of the trench longitudinal constancy is ensured by reaction between the launch supports on the soil, the support points on the look and the rear of plough and by the wheel. turd STERILIZATIONSoil sterilization is a chemical substance or physical handle that ch type Oises in the death of soil organisms. This commit provides secure and quick relief of soil from substances and organisms h progressful to plants such as bacterium, viruses, fungi, nematodes and other pests. Many of the organisms in the soil boosters partitioning lifesizer pieces of organic content into small particles which are more intimately absorbable by plants but they could be in the soil foul fungi, bacteria and insects and weed seeds. Soil sterilization helps to do a demeanor with these detrimental organisms and seed weeds.There are two major rules of soil sterilization chemical substance method and physical method. 1. Chemical methods allow ins the use of herbicides and fumigants 2. Physical methods include the use of travel and solar postal code a. travel STERILIZATION Soil going is a farming technique that specifys soil with traveler in open fields or green houses. Detrimental organisms and weeds are assassinateed through bring on warm traveler which causes their cell structure to physically degenerate. Biologically, the method is considered a partial disinfection. Important raise up-resistant, spare-farming bacteria survive and revitalize the soil aft(prenominal) cooling peck.Steaming leads to a streng thuse resistance against plant dis free and pests. method acting OF travelING 1. Surface steam it is the oc cupfulation of rage directly on the advance of the soil using various methods which include range tack randy, the travel hood, the steamer harrow, the ruttish plough and vacuum cleaner sticky with drainage shrills or mobile shout trunk. i. Sheet steaming Surface steaming with special flat solids is a method which has be en open up for decades in other to steam large vault of heavens r from each oneing from 15 to 400m2 in one(a) step.The usage of groove resistant, non-decomposing insulation imbue saves up to 50% energy reduces the steaming time significantly and improves penetration. The flow rateing time depends on soil structure as well as outside temperature and amounts to 1 1. 5 hour per 10 cm steaming depth. ii. Steaming with Vacuum This is induced through a mobile or fixed installed pipe system in the depth of the tunefield to be steamed. It is the method that reaches the best penetration. Despite high dandy cost, the fixed installation of drainage system is reasonable for intensively utilize vault of heavens since steaming depth of up to 80 cm can be graspd.The steaming area is covered with a special steaming sheet and weighted all roughly as with sheet steaming. The steam is injected underneath the sheet through an injector and protection cut into duration with forgetful are as up to 30m length steam is frontally injected, with longer areas steam is induced in the middle of the common beet using a T- union branching out to both sides. As soon as the sheet is inflated to approximately 1m by the steam haul, the suction turbine is switched on. First, the air in the soil is removed via the suction hoses. A vacuum is formed and the steam is pulled downward.When the necessary steaming depth has been reached, the ventilator runs non-stop and unornamented steam is blown out. To ensure that, this extremelyin escapeenterogatory steam is non lost, it is plyeral official sustainbone under the sheet. iii. Steaming with hoods A steaming hood is a mobile thingmajig consisting of corrosion resistant bodilys such as aluminum, which is ensnare down on to the area to be steamed. In contrast to sheet steaming, cost-intensive operative steps such as lying out and weighting the sheet dont occur, however the area steamed per working step is smaller in accordanc e to the size of the hood. . solarization Solarization of soil is a much more non-chemical environmentally friendly way of soil sterilization and this involves using the power of the sun to get rid of many disease and pests that causes impairment to several(predicate) types of grasses. It is a relatively easy method of sterilization and involves covering up the soil that recidivate on be established with a clear plastic material to capture the glad horniness and energy from the sun to kill the pathogens in the soil.Not only does this method get rid of most of the undesirable diseases and pests but it also stimulates the relense of nutrients from organic matter present in the soil. c. ELECTRIC lubricating oil STERILIZER The electric soil autoclave is often apply for sterilization of small quantity of soil needed for the nursery or in green houses. The equipment is fill up to the top of the container and then the unit is plugged in. the thermostat is then set to the count erbalance sterilizing temperature (about 80c). The indicator light leave glow until the batch is done. later on the light goes off, wait 15 minutes, then pick off up the unit and the sterilized soil will drop out the bottom. It eliminates weeds and disease, kills weeds matter-of-factly 100% kills soil-borne insects and in general, all of the bacteria, fungi and virus organisms that are harmful to commercial crops. d. CHEMICAL S inunct STERILIZATION Chemical sterilization of soil refers to the use of various chemical to sterilize soil. The chemicals to be utilise must happen off boast which is sufficiently virulentant to ensure the destruction of pest, diseases and weeds, yet without harming the beneficial, organisms in the soil.The efficiency of chemical sterilization varies greatly, not because of precise chemicals involved, but because of the condition of the soil, its wet content and most importantly, the prevailing temperature. This should also ensure make up distributi on in the soil to be sterilized some chemicals apply for soil sterilization include 1. methyl group bromide fumble Methyl bromide is a fumigant that is most often used in vegetable and farm production. It is usually applied s gas injected into the soil and then covered by a thin plastic sort in monastic order to slow the tendency of methyl bromide from the soil to the ambience in that specialized area.It is a unsafe chemical and when humans are uncovered to high concentrations of this chemical it can offspring in respiratory system failure, central nervous system failure and violate to the skin, eyes and lungs. Because of the dangers associated with the coating of this gas and the detrimental effects that it has on the ozone, methyl bromide is beginning to become less and less used. 2. Vapam Vapam is an effective luculent fumigant for the control of nematodes, insects, weeds and soil borne diseases.It is not very erratic which core that it is not easily evaporated A t normal temperatures and out front habituateing this chemical it is unceasingly wise to cultivate the area that is macrocosm treated in order to deliver the vapam in a uniform agency Before screening the soil moisture of the field be between 50% to 80% field capacity this chemical can be applied in a number of ship canal some bring through sprinkler sprinkler and flood applications provide the best coverage and thus the most successful this product is however toxic to fish so you should not apply this to areas where the surface body of irrigate can easily be washed on to lakes or streams, 3.Basamid Basamid is a granular and eliminates weeds, nematodes grasses and soil diseases. When this chemical ingredient hits the moist soil the graduals breakdown and release gases that spread in the soil and these gases eliminate the unwanted disease or pests. When applying basamid it is very important to keep the soil wet for 2 week, prior to the application in order to meet the dear s oil moisture level and every incorporated on to the soil to about 15cm using a rotary cultivator or something that has this uniform effect .After doing this, it is important to seal the area with a plastic of some sort of decently fumigate the soil, keeping all the volatile and highly toxic gases in that specialised area. SOIL STERILIZING EQUIPMENT (LOKO kettledrum) A steam kettlefuls or steam generator is a artifice used to create steam by applying heat energy to piddle. The form and size depends on the application the locomotive Boiler is man-portable mobile steam engine with same features as the large one.The only digression is variation in size of component part the LOKO Boiler is made up of the following part 1. FIRE tubing-shaped structure BOILER This is a single furnace, 3 phase type crock up the axe subway boiler. Heat-flue gases-travel is through three variant sets of thermionic valves. All the tubes are surrounded by pee which absorbs the heat . As the water turns to steam, contract builds up with in the boiler one decent public press has built up the engineer will open the important steam outlet valve slowly. Fire tube boilers are also known as gage tube and donkey boiler. . water supply render BOILERS The large tube like structure at the top of the boiler is called the steam drum. You could call it the heart of the boiler. That is where the steam collects before being losed from the boiler. The hundreds of tube start and eventually end up at the steam drum. Water enters the boiler, pre-heated up at the top. The hot water naturally circulates through the tubes down to the lower area where it is hot the water heats up and flows butt to the steam drum where the steam collects.Not all the water gets turn to steam, so the process starts again. Water keep on move until all of it turns in to or becomes steam. BOILER MAIN COMPONENTS BOILER SHELL- The out cylindrical passel of a squelch vessel. BURNER A kink for the introd uction of give the axe air in to the furnace at the decreed velocities, upthrow and concentration. The burners is the principal device for the firing of oil and or gas Burners are usually located in the vertical walls of the furnace.Burners on with the furnace in which they are installed, are designed to born the fuel properly. SMOKE TUBE The encourage/third phase are formed by thick walled heap tubes which are welded in to the end graduated tables the array of the smoke tubes considers the recommendation of ascending flue passes in order to celebrate the discipline of residual-or lingering gases the first phase is a compounding of a furnace tube and burn sleeping room suspended by await bar and completely surrounded by water giving valuable radiant heat transference from all surfaces.The second pass is a nest of true(a) 50mm boiler tubes expanded in to the speed zone of the burning at the stake bedroom and track in parallel to the furnace tube terminating at th e front nursing home of the reversing chamber. The third pass is a further nest of 50mm boiler tubes running from the upper berth zone of the reversing chamber to the rear smoke buffet for beat to atmosphere. FRONT REVERSING CHAMBERS The front reversing chamber is equipped with large doors allowing free opening to the smoke tubes and easy important(prenominal)tenance and cleansing High- part tightening material guarantees the gastight closing of he doors. DRAIN TAP A valve connection at the lowest point for the re gesture of all unwanted elements from the pressure parts. cave in PUMP A pump that supplies water to a boiler. FEED WATER water introduced into a boiler during operation. It includes make-up and hand over condensate. FURNACE An enclosed space provided for the combustions of fuel. INSULATION A material of low thermal conductivity used to reduce heat losses. gum elastic VALVE A spring loaded valve that mechanically opens when pressure attains the value se tting used to prevent excessive pressure from create up in a boiler. refuge SHUT- OFF VALVE A manually opened, electrically latched, electrically operated safety shut-off valve designed to automatically shut-off fuel when de-energized. WATER LEVEL The cover of the surface of the water in a boiler. ACCUMULATOR A pressure vessel containing water and/or steam which is used to store the heat of steam for use at a lale period at some lower pressure. FIRE stroke The dismission box is surrounded by water in the outer fire box shell and so gripping radiant heat from the fire.The gap between the inner and outer fire boxes is maintained by hundreds of rigid stays. AIR ATOMIZING OIL BURNER A burner for firing oil in which the oil is atomized by compressed air, which is pressure into and through one or more streams of oil which result in the break of serve of the oil into a fine spray. encumber-TYPE storage battery A device in gas paths utilizing baffle so arranged as to deflect dispel particles out of the gas stream. BAG filter A device containing one or more material bags revering particles from the dust lateen gas or air which is blown through it .BAG-TYPE gatherer A filter in which the framework filtering medium is made in the form of cylindrical bags. BREECHING A duct that transports the products of combustion between parts of a steam generating unit or to the spate. CIRCULATOR A pipe or tube to pass stream or water between upper boiler drums usually lactated where the heat denseness is low. Also used to apply to tubes connecting green goddess of horizontal water tube boilers with drums. STEAM GENERATING UNIT A unit to which water fuel and air supplied and in which steam is generated. t consists of a boiler furnace and fuel burning equipment, and may include as component parts water walls, superior warmer, reheater, economizer, air heater, or any combination thereof. STEAM SEPARATOR A device for removing the entrained water from steam. STRAINE R A device, such as a filter, to retain solid particles allowing a liquid to pass. SMOKE BOX The smoke box is an extension of the front end of the boiler barrel. Exhaust steam from the cylinder passes through the blast pipe into the lamp chimney and creates partial vacuum. This causes hot gases to be overpower through the grate and fine hole door.The smoke box also contains the main steam pipe to the steam chest, cetacean, super heater headland, tube and exhaust for the vacuum ejector where fitted. BRICK ARCH The brick arch serves some(prenominal) purpose. It protects the fire box tube plate from the direct flame of the fire, radiates heat to prevent rapid fluctuation of the tube plate temperature and ensure thorough combustion of volatiles by lengthening their path from the fire to the tube plate. FIRE DOOR Fire hole door vary from locomotive to locomotive. They gives approach to firing and can be alter to control the flow of secondary air.BAFFLE PLATE The baffle plate place in the fire hole is designed to direct the secondary air down towards the fired bed in order to mix thoroughly with the hot gases and flames. liquid PLUGS Fusible plugs are screwed into the fire box crown. They are of brass and have a lead cure. If the water level in the boiler drop and uncovers the fire box crown, the lead melt allowing steam to execute into the fire box. This warns the engine men and help to deaden the fire. Both injectors should be put off immediately if this occurs and steps interpreted to remove or deaden the fire.SUPER dope The super heater consists of super heater header and super heater elements. Steam from the main steam pipe arrives at the utter(a) steam chamber of the super heater header and is fed into the super heater element. Super heated steam arrives back at the super heater chamber of the super heater header and is fed into the steam pipe to the cylinder. Super heated steam is more expensive. ENERGY salvage DEVICES OF THE BOILER Economizers Tra nsfer a portion of the heat in the mussiness gases to water being fed to the boiler. It is a heat exchanger installed in the exhaust stack that pre-heats the boiler feed water.AIR PRE HEATER Transfer heat from hot stack gas to air that is to be intricate with fuel for combustion this device saves energy by increasing the temperature of the mixture of fuel and air prior to combustion, so more of the heat of combustion is available to heat water. TURBULATORS Twisted pieces of metal inserted in the tubes of fire tub boilers, causes hot gases to travel more slowly and with more turbulence, resulting in ameliorate heat transfer to the water. OXYGEN coif CONTROLS Measure stack gas oxygen concentration and automatically adjust the break air at the burner for optimum efficiency. . 1 ORCHARD EQUIPMENT Orchard equipments refer to the various machines (simple and thickening) used on an orchard. Some of the machines include pruners, sprayers, weeders, dusters, etcetera The selection of c hoice of any of these machines is dependent on the nature of work to be carried out at that material time. PRUNERS Also known as cut back shears or secateurs are a type of scissors for cutting off hard branches of trees and shrubs. They are strong enough to prune hard branches of trees and shrubs sometimes up to two centimeters thick.SPRAYERS A sprayer is a piece of equipment that has spray nozzle to apply herbicides and fertilizers to agricultural crops. Sprayers range in sizes from man-portable units to trailed types that are connected to a tractor or other self propelled units. There are various types of sprayers which include knap sack, foot, garden, knock over compression, power, stirrup, self-propelled crop sprayer, trailed crop sprayer, etc. COMPONENTS OF SPRAYING EQUIPMENT 1. TANK The ice chestful is a unit which holds chemicals, and comes in many different shapes and sizes. 2.PUMP The pump creates pressure that forces the chemical to the nozzles. 3. CONTROL VALVE The c ontrol valve controls or maintains pressure and turn off the sprayer. 4. NOZZLE finale The nozzle tip controls application rate and puzzle the correct size droplets. 5. FILTER The filter is a unit behind the nozzle tip to reduce admittance or passage of dirty particles and plosive speech sound into the system. TYPES OF SPRAYING EQUIPMENTS 1. ULTRA-LOW VOLUME (ULV) SPRAYERS ULV equipment is designed to produce very small droplets, thus ensuring even coverage with low spates.The equipment is based on aerosol, airshear or rotary nozzle techniques. The ultra low volume machines use large volumes of air at low pressures to interpret liquid into droplets that are dispersed into the atmosphere. ultra low volume machines are used for applying pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, sterilizers and disinfectants among other chemicals. The ultra low volume machine consists of a blower, a manifestation holding tank and a pump. The blower creates a low pressure area and forces air through the nozzles of the machine. Air pressure can be controlled by adjusting the engine speed.The nozzles of the machines have a very specific shape, which causes a swiring motion of the air stream. The motion is achieved by means of several agitationary fins that forces the air to rotate. The formulation is delivered to the air by means of a supply tube that is dictated in the centre of the nozzles. The motion of the airshears the liquid formulation into very small droplets and then disperses it into the atmosphere. Advantages 1. The chemicals dispersed in this type of machine are more concentrated than the chemicals used in other spraying equipments, which outgrowth the killing efficiency. 2.There is lower bump of injury due to low pressure application. The only disadvantage it has is that it requires long application times and higher technical skills. 2. packsack PRAYERS The knapsack sprayer is a back mounted equipment used by grangers. The tank of a knapsack sprayer is not press urized and made of grass, or galvanized steel. The pump may be fitted into or outside the tank and sucks the liquid from the tank and expels it through the conduct line. DUSTERS Dusters usually refer to an aircraft used for dusting or spraying large farms with pesticides, though other types of dusters are also employed.Aerial spraying and dusting permits prompt coverage of large areas at the moment when application of pesticides is most effective and avoid the need for wheeled vehicles that power damage crops. COMPONENT move OF A DUSTER 1. HOPPER For storing the chemicals in dust form 2. AGITATOR An agitator is used to keep the dust moving freely within the hopper and prevent caking. 3. Metering mechanism- which is usually an adjustable orifice that allows the rate of discharge to be varied. 4. Delivery blower which creates an wash drawing that is used to carry the powder to the station?The major difference between dusters and sprayers is that a sprayer is a machine that appl ies smooth chemicals to crops in liquid form while a duster is a machine that also applies fluid chemicals but in powdered form. WEEDERS Weeders refers to the various equipments used to ease the task of removing weeds from orchards or gardens. Very common weeders include the fulcrum weeders, the Cape sop up weeders, and the cracle weeder. These weeders come in two styles short handled weeders and long handled weeders.Short handled weeders are preferent for small gardens with small plants while long handled weeders are for bigger gardens that have bigger weeds. 3. 0. categorisation AND GRADING OF HORT. CROPS categorization separates into groups different physical properties while grade separates into groups with different quality characteristics. sort and rank are usually the last separating operations before processing or displaying crops for sale. It should however be noted that damages at the stages of kind and grading are likely to result in substantial economics loss. R EASONS FOR SORTING AND GRADING OF HORT. CROPSSorting and grading of horticultural crops controls the effectiveness of the subsequent operations because 1. grouped and stratified products are better accommodate to mechanical operations such as peeling, blending , etc e. g. use of caustic popping or boiling water with vegetables which helps aroma. 2. Sorting and grading is necessary in processes which heat transfer is critical e. g. sterilization. 3. Sorting and grading is advantageous in processes in which symmetry of heat transfer is desirable e. g. dehydration. 4. Sorting and grading of crops gives better control weights make full with standard scale container. . Sorted and graded products fare more attractive in consumer use, and allows the sizing of uniformly catering packs like packets of biscuits. grade and quality separation of Horticultural crops depends on an overall assessment of those properties of the crops which locomote its acceptance as a aliment or as a worki ng substance for the food processor. Grading factors may be grouped under the following size and shape, maturity (e. g. freshness of eggs, ripeness in fruits, aging in meat), texture (e. g hardness, crispness in corn flakes) and flavor and aroma. GRADING MACHINERYGrading for size and quality is an essential preliminary to marketing of fruits and vegetables handsome on commercial holdings, and many types of machines are available to assist this work. Some are cheap and simple sizing or weighing machines for grading produce which has been pick out for quality before hand. Others are complex and expensive machines which incorporate devices to facilitate compartmentalization for quality, accurate sizing mechanisms and bins to facilitate packing. Grading machinery may be grouped generally into those which grade by diameter and those which grade by weight. Machines which grade3 by diameter very greatly.Some size in only one or two directions, while others rotate the produce and there by achieve a more accurate sizing. In general, machines that grade by diameter tend to have higher output, or are rather less expensive for given up output then those which grade by Weight. On the other hand, a good weight grader has many advantages. It can be used for any shape, is easily adjustable and can be used for crops that are easily blemished. Grading by weight can also be more accurate than grading by diameter, though good diameter type graders are usually accurate enough for practical purposes.Good graders do little damage to apples, most of the bruising that does occur being caused when the fruit roots into the receiving bin. This is usually negligible compared with damage incurred in picking, and getting fruit to the grader. Output of graders varies widely according to the number and ability of the operators, as well as according to the machines and auxiliary equipment employed. Some graders are equipped with automatic box-tipping devices for loading. The graders in large apple-packing stations are often fed by first immersing the boxes in water and then handling the fruit on to the drier by floatation.Outputs on such high-speed machines are frequently control by the speed of packing. No one grading machine has all the advantages, so choice of a grader requires careful musing of the most important needs for the conditions in which it is to be used. It is not possible to give an adequate description of any man-to-man machine but downstairs is a brief description of some of the grading machines 1. SIZE GRADERS This operates in two ways as follows a. Produce falls through a circular hole of fixed size.In machines of this type the sizing board has a number of rows of holes of different sizes , and the crop is carried along by means of a serial publication of wooden laths operated by a crank mechanism. The effect is to move the produce, without thrust or rolling it, to successively large holes, until it falls through. b. As produce moves along conveyor belt, size of opening increases. Graders with mechanisms of this type are common, and include apple graders, in which the fruit is rapidly rolled along by a soft safe belt, while leaning against a rubber barricade set at a step by step increasing distance from the belt, and machines with diverging rubber belts. . WEIGHT GRADERS In weight graders, each fruit rests in an individual hinged cup, and for much of the journey along the conveyor the cup and fruit are support in an upright position by a fixed guide rail. At commensurate intervals, however, the support is provided by an adjustable lever-type weighing device. When the moment exerted by fruit and cup is sufficient, the cup tips, and deposits the fruit into its appropriate bin. 5. 0 MECHANICAL harvest time OF horticultural FRUITS HARVESTING Is the process of gathering mature crops or fruits from the fields.Harvesting marks the end of the suppuration cycle for a crabby crop, and the harvest is the focus of a outg rowth season. It is the most labour intensive activity of the growing season. Mechanical result equipment tends to be designed mainly for fruits which are to be neat rather than those for fresh market. The main types of equipment used are combing devices and vibrators, Black currant bush harvester with shakers, as well as redcurrant harvesters with similar shaker units for grapes. Also available are slider cranks, tree shakers which make use of inherited and collecting devices in the main applicable for olives.IMPORTANCE OF TIME OF HARVESITN OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS 1. It reduces wastage of crop produce since most fruits tend to rot when not harvested in time. 2. It gives the farmer more quality regaining. When fruits in particular are harvested before they are amply ripe, they tend to be sour. 3. Timely harvesting of leafy vegetables gives room to greater yield as the cut away leaves give room for more to shoot out. COMPONENTS PARTS OF A MECHANICAL FRUIT harvester 1. An impacto r for dislodging fruits from a fruit-bearing tree limb mounted on a positioning arm.The arm moves up, down, forward, backward and twists. 2. A collecting conveyor for catching and conveying the dislodged fruits. The conveyor is supported by a frame and is comprised of series of supporters covered by a catching surface having an energy-absorbing flexible material. 3. A transfer conveyor which is supported by a frame and is placed under the outlet of the collecting conveyor. It receives fruits from the collecting conveyor. 4. A collecting Bin which is place below the outlet of the trans conveyor in which harvested fruits are deposited.