Louche () was a mobile animal-drawn agricultural

seed drill file:7263 Canterbury Agricultural College farm.jpg, Filling a feed-box of a seed drill, Lincoln University (New Zealand), Canterbury Agricultural College farm, 1948 A seed drill is a device used in agriculture that sowing, sows seeds for crops by ...

invented by the Chinese agronomist Zhao Guo, a Han official in charge of agricultural production during the reign of

Han Wudi Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), born Liu Che and courtesy name Tong, was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty from 141 to 87 BC. His reign lasted 54 years – a record not broken until the reign of the Kangxi Emperor more than ...

in the Han dynasty (156 – 29 March 87 BC). According to the records of ''Political Commentator'' by the Eastern Han dynasty writer Cui Shi, the Louche consisted of three feet and thus was called three-legged Lou. The three legs had three ditch diggers under it used for sowing. The Louche was animal powered and was pulled by an ox and the leg of the Louche directly dug a ditch in the flattened soil, sowed the seeds, covered the seeds, and pressed the land flat at the same time. The machine was known for its utility and efficiency for serving several agricultural uses at the same time, while saving time and effort.

References

{{reflist Agricultural machinery Chinese inventions Han dynasty History of agriculture in China