Rare Hoes and Thinners?
November 1, 2025 in Articles
Occasionally, a long-forgotten machine may turn up in a book reference or a magazine article, and if we are lucky, an actual example may appear in the tinwork. But sadly, it seems, some of these machines are nothing but a distant memory, perhaps a period advert in a gardening magazine, or an article praising the machine’s qualities which never amounted to any meaningful sales.
Two intriguing machines featured in the June 1965 issue of Farm Mechanization: the Minni-Ho and the Wanten SSEC 2-row thinner.
First up, the Minni-Ho. Shown below is this small tool-frame tractor, initially powered by a 2.5 hp four-stroke engine, designed for cross-blocking work. When operated at right angles, as shown in the photo, it could hoe gaps over a 52.5 inch width, leaving plants spaced at about 7.5 inches. Once the first pass was done, the operator could side-hoe along the rows. One user proudly reported tackling twelve acres in just three days – a fair achievement considering the Minni-Ho operated at a steady 2.5 mph. It must have been a slow and bumpy ride across those fields!
The machine was the brainchild of Lincolnshire farmer-inventor Mr H. C. Rothery together with his neighbour, Mr J. E. Morris. To bring their creation to market, Farm Hydraulics Ltd based at 38 Market Place, Boston, Lincolnshire was formed. In 1965, a new Minni-Ho would have cost around £250, but it is unknown if any were sold via Farm Hydraulics Ltd.
However, the Minni-Ho did not disappear into complete obscurity. Later in 1965, Howard Rotavator Co. Ltd. took up the design, calling it the ‘Howard Mini Cross Gapper’. It is said that they intended to produce fifty machines, but that target was never met. Potentially, this leaves few surviving machines. Here is a picture in the VHGMC gallery.
The Howard production model featured a Kohler K91T 4-stroke single-cylinder engine, with a quoted 3.2 hp, and a recoil starter. A two-speed belt-driven gearbox with a hand clutch gave four forward and four reverse gears. The toolframe was raised and lowered by hand.
The second machine, illustrated below, the Wanten SSEC 2-row thinner, is another rarity from that same year. It was developed by Mr G. Wanten and the SSEC – the Société Sucrière d’Études et de Conseils (Sugar Research and Consulting Company) in Belgium. The SSEC’s expertise covered the entire sugar beet process from seed to molasses, producing equipment such as precision drills, beet washers, and stone catchers.
Their 2-row thinner was trialled by the Belgian Sugar Beet Institute, 45 Rue du Molin, Tienen (or Tirlemont in French). A 2.5 hp JLO engine powered it, and it was claimed to cover five acres a day, which explains why it was said to have been adopted by a large number of Belgian sugar beet growers – no doubt helped by the flat, easy-going terrain of the region.
Sugar beet is big business in Belgium, and the city of Tienen has long been known as the “Sugar City” thanks to its thriving beet industry and impressive processing facilities. I wonder if any of these 2-row thinners still exist over in Belgium?
