.9 Sept., 1907.] Grading and Levelling. 535 



All the implements already described will more or less be useful in 

 levellino- ground. The final operations require more delicate work. The 

 first class of these implements includes the clod crushers and plankers. The 

 planker is made of a series of planks, 8 to 10 inch planks bolted to cleats as 

 shown. The length may be anything from 6 to 12 feet, and the thick- 

 ness about 2 inches. It will do better work than any contrivances of logs 

 or planks fastened to harrows, and is not expensive to make. 



A more elaborate form made by Mr. Brooks, foreman at the Rutherglen 

 Viticultural College Farm, gives more effective results where the ground 

 is hard and cloddv. For transport, it is simply turned over and drawn 

 backwards, the corners being rounded for the purpose. 



At the First Irrigation Conference held in 1890, Mr. Farrell of Areegra 

 described the scraper used by him as follows: — 



" The machine I use for levelling resembles a sledge. It has two long- 

 itudinal beams, 5 inches x 4 inches, 12 feet long. There are three pieces, 

 6 inches x 3 inches, 9 feet long, bolted on in front and underneath the longi- 

 tudinal beams in flooring-board fashion ; four more pieces of the same 

 dimensions and length are bolted on behind and underneath, but in 

 weatherboard fashion, with the edges set forward. Midway between 

 those planks there is a wooden scraper faced underneath and in 

 front with a steel plate 3 inches x \ inch. In the front of this scraper 

 there are three eye-bolts which swing on a round bar of iron. There is 

 also a 5 feet lever bolted on to the back of the scraper, with a crank 

 underneath it. The horses are yoked to the sledge and when on the top 

 of a clay lump the driver stands on the lever and forces the scraper into 

 the earth, which is pushed forward until it comes to a crab-hole ; then he 

 steps' on the crank which turns it upwards, lifts the lever, and the scraper 

 swings backward and deposits the earth. The weatherboards then level 

 the heap and break any lumps that mav be in it. About five or six acres 

 per day can be levelled with the machine, which is drawn by four horses 

 and worked by one man. Allowing 25s. per day wages for man and horses, 

 the co.st per acre amounts to about 5s." 



The most useful smoother of the lot has its original form in the split 

 log. A log about 9 to 12 inches in diameter was split in halves, the two 

 halves with the round sides facing one another were secured about 2 feet 

 apart bv pieces of hardwood morticed in. Eyebolts were put through the 

 front log and chain attached so that the smoother was set on the skew^. The 

 action of the front log was to cut off any bumips or slight inequalities and 

 the back log with its round face to smooth down the lumps and crevices. 

 This implement is very suitable for smoothing off formations, spoilt banks, 

 or the like, and is sucessfully in use in America for periodical trimming 

 of formed roads in use, filling up the ruts, and allowing the water to drain 

 off better. 



The smoother shown on page 536, has been evolved from this original 

 form. It combines a buck scraper on a small scale with a following smoother 

 or leveller. It may be made any length convenient up to 12 feet. The 

 method of making 'is clear from the drawings. The steel smoothing plate 

 ip very light, about 20 gauge, but will last a very long time. It is brought 

 from the middle 3x2 beam to the underneath of the back d y. i beam, and 

 holes are cut in it for the ties and the bolts. In use, the driver standing 

 on the plate causes, by moving forward, the front beam with its cutting 

 edge to enter the ground and carry forward any dirt cut off and by moving 

 backward he raises the front, allows the accumulated earth to pass under 

 in as great or as little quantity as he pleases while the sloping steel sheet 



