74 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



will be generally admitted that no ground can be properly fitted for 

 mowing without the use of the roller. 



The use of the roller may be thought by some to render the soil 

 heavy, but I think experiment will show that it leaves it lighter in the 

 end, for the freshly stirred soil lies lightly when dry and buoyed up by 

 the inclosed atmosphere, but the first heavy rain, thoroughly saturating 

 the soil, will cause particle by particle to fall with the descending cur- 

 rent to a much lower level than when the surface has been gently 

 pressed together by the roller, bracing the same as by a bridge, in- 

 closing much light soil, jus^ us it tumbled lightly particle on particle. 

 Besides, unpulverized portions of soil or manure are either useless or 

 injurious in their influence on vegetation, and not a little in the way of 

 securing such portion of the crop as the fine soil has produced. 



Grass ground rendered uneven by frost, and the grass roots much 

 exposed to perish in the dry breezes of spring, may, 1 think, be rolled 

 to great advantage. This is especicJly true of clayey loam, land on which 

 the turf often disappears on much of the surface by the action of the 

 frost. My habit is to roll all ground at all lumpy, designed to be laid 

 to grass, twice ; once before the last harrowing, and once after. This 

 renders it quite firm and even. 



I have a roller constructed by a very ingenious mechanic, a short 

 descrijition of which I will give, as it is a little better than any I have 

 seen. Take two pieces 4x4 inches hard wood joist, 2 feet. 2 inches 

 long, and halve them together at right angles in the middle ; fill the 

 corners with planks, in the form of a wheel. To keep all fast, put 

 round on the outside edge a rim 4 inches wide, of hard wood board, 

 screwed on. This forms one end. Make the other like it, then add to 

 each on the outside an oval piece of 4 inch timber by 2 inches thick, and 

 about 10 inches long. Make this fast to one of the cross joist, where 

 the spindle goes tlirough, the outside being made so oval as to have a 

 smooth and small point of friction at the end of the spindle. Mortise 

 and insert a square bar of iron, 1 ^ inches round at the ends, and inside 

 of the end having a head or stop put on hot, over the bar, so as when 

 cold to be fast. Cover these ends with strips of plank 2^x5 inches, 

 sawed to fit on the outer circle. Make the end pieces of the frame about 

 5i feet long, running an equal distance behind and before, Avith two cross 

 supports at eadh end. In the middle of the ends, frame in upon the 

 under side a 4x4 inch joist, 12 inches long, at right angles, well 

 braced on the back side. Drop these on to the iron spindle, half way 

 down, and key below, transversely with the spindle, making a small 

 hole on the outside and above obliquely, and running to the centre of the 

 gudgeon, to oil the same, inserting a stopper. The thills are bolted 



