History of agriculture the New Leicester sheep. Machines were invented to improve the efficiency of various agricultural operation, such as Jethro Tull's seed drill of 1701 that mechanised seeding at the correct depth and spacing and Andrew Meikle's threshing machine of 1784. Ploughs were steadily improved, from Joseph Foljambe's Rotherham iron plough in 1730 to James Small's improved "Scots Plough" metal in 1763. In 1789 Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies was producing 86 plough models for different soils. Powered farm machinery began with Richard Trevithick's stationary steam engine, used to drive a threshing machine, in 1812. Mechanisation spread to other farm uses through the
Seed drill the earth and the harrow would smooth the soil and break up any clumps. The drill would be set for the size of the seed used. Then the grain would be put in the hopper on top and then follow along behind it while the seed drill spaced and planted the seed. This system is still used today but it has been modified and updated so a farmer can plant many rows of seed at the same time. A seed drill can be pulled across the field using bullocks or a tractor. Seeds sown using a seed drill are distributed