bull-rake v

bull-rake v

1 To collect and transport (hay) with a bull rake n 2; hence vbl n bull-raking.

1899 Batesville Tribune(IN) [17 Aug 7]/5 (newspaperarchive.com), Shocking the hay and bringing it in with ropes is too slow, and in bull-raking it in you are liable to begin stacking too soon, or your hay is liable to get bleached, besides you can not stack so evenly and well on account of the hay being too loose. 1939 Washington C.H. Rec.–Herald (OH) 29 June 12/1, [Advt:] Wanted hay baling. We do our own bull raking with auto glider. 1950 Neosho Daily Democrat (MO) 24 Sept 6/5, Costs of baling are high, so Mr. Bushner for several years cut the alfalfa, bullraked it then pushed it to the barn where he stored it loose.

2 To fish for clams or other shellfish with a bull rake n 3; hence vbl n bull-raking; n bull-raker one who fishes in this way. NEng

1937 Newport Mercury & Weekly News (RI) 13 Aug 8/5, All tongers and bull rakers are idle and will remain so until dealers retract their demands and agree unanimously to pay the prevailing scale. 1954 Newport Daily News (RI) 12 Feb 1/1, The mechanical dredges could reach many quahaugs which are now wasted because they lie too deep for hand tonging and “bullraking.” 1977 Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield MA) 12 Oct 23/1, Anytime Bob isn’t lobstering or bullraking, he can be found working on his equipment, and there he was, in his boots, dragging his eel cars ashore. 2007 Portsmouth Herald (NH) 4 May sec B 6/1 RI, They bullraked for quahogs and clams, dredged for scallops, speared eels through winter’s ice and trapped lobsters and crabs.