MTD 340 Series Operator's Manual page 10

Wheel Setting For
Deep Tilling
Transport
,l Position
_i_epth Stake/
Shallow Tilling
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Deep Tilling
Figure 12
By increasing the depth of the depth stake, the forward
speed of the machine is reduced and the working depth
is increased. When the depth stake is raised, the
working depth of the machine is reduced and the
forward speed is increased. The working depth of the
machine may be predetermined by setting the depth
stake and wheels so that the wheels are about four
inches from the ground when the tines and depth stake
are resting on the ground. This setting will permit a
working depth of about four inches. When presetting
the working depth, the handles should be adjusted so
the hand grips are a little above waist. The tiller will be
lower when the tines and depth stake penetrate the
ground. See Figure 12.
Figure 13
When tilling, leave approximately 8 inches of untilled
soil between the first and second tilling paths, then
make the third path between the first and second. In
some soils, the desired depth is obtained the first time
over the garden. In other soils, the desired depth is
obtained by going over the garden two or three times. In
the latter case, the depth stake should be lowered
before each succeeding pass over the garden. Passes
should be made across the length and width of the
garden alternately. Rocks which are turned up should
be removed from the garden area. See Figure 13.
10
Handle Pressure
Further control of tilling depth and travel speed can be
obtained by variation of pressure on the handles.
• A downward pressure on the handles will reduce
the working depth and increase the forward speed.
• An upward pressure on the handles will increase
the working depth and reduce the forward speed.
The type of soil and working conditions will determine
the actual setting of the depth stake and the handle
pressure required.
Throttle Control
The throttle control lever adjusts the engine speed and
stops the engine. With the throttle control lever pushed
completely forward, the carburetor is in START
position. Pulling the throttle control back slightly adjusts
the engine speed to FAST. Pulling the throttle back
further reduces the engine speed to SLOW. Pull the
throttle completely back to stop the engine.
Use maximum engine speed for deep tilling. Move the
throttle control to SLOW when transporting the tiller.
Transporting The Tiller
To transport the tiller to or from the garden, pivot the
depth stake forward, out of the way. See Figure 12.
With the throttle control in SLOW position, the unit will
walk freely on top of the lawn. If the operator does not
allow the tiller to move freely, the unit will start to till the
surface.
Cultivating
For cultivating, a two to three inch depth is desirable.
Setting the wheels and depth stake so that the wheels
are about two inches above the ground while the tiller is
resting on the tines and depth stake will allow the
machine to work at cultivating depth. The throttle
should be set to control forward movement to a slow
walking speed. With the outer tines installed, the
working width of the machine is 22 or 24 inches. For
cultivation, this may be reduced to 13 inches by
removing the outer tines. Refer to the Adjustment
Section. When laying out plant rows, be sure to allow
enough width to permit cultivation between the rows. In
growing corn or similar crops, check-row planting will
permit cross cultivation and practically eliminate hand
hoeing. See Figure 14.
The tiller has many uses other than tilling and
cultivating a garden. One of these is the preparation of
lawn area for seeding. The tiller will prepare a deep
seed bed which will be free of hard untilled spots,
allowing a better stand of grass to grow. The tiller is
very useful for loosening hard soil for excavation with a
shovel. No tedious handwork will be necessary. Your
tiller may be used for mixing compost in the pile, or for
mixing it with the soil in your garden. This should be
done after the soil has been broken to the full working
depth. The compost should be worked in to a depth of
six to seven inches. This may be done by working the
length of the garden and then by making separate
passes across its width. The addition of decayed