Drawn by a horse, the drill grubber had long teeth to stir the soil and clear out weeds and roots in preparation for sowing.

On the 17th of November 1829, convicts Wolstencroft and Luck were grubbing, “taking up Butts and roots on the fallows” (Diary of William Archer, 17 September).

The common drill-grubber. Source: The Book of Farm Implements and Machines, Slight & Burn, 1858, p247.
The common drill-grubber (Source: The Book of Farm Implements and Machines, Slight & Burn, 1858, p247)