Gh. III.] 



HOLLERS. 



33 



Chapter III. 



OX ROLLERS. 



The roller, which is used both to break the clods turned up by the plough, 

 as also to compress the earth and smooth the surface of the ground, al- 

 thougli an instrument to be seen on every farm, and one of a very import- 

 ant descrijition, is yet rarely found of proper proportions, or mounted in 

 such a way as to conduce either to its efficiency of draught or operation ; 

 and, of all the other implements in common use among farmer?, apj)ears to 

 be the least attended to. It is of various dimensions — generally formed as a 

 cylinder of wood, occasionally spiked with iron, or encircled with large rings 

 of metal to assist in crushing the clods; it is, however, not unfrequently 

 made of granite, and in many cases it is formed of a liollow tube of cast- 

 iron. It is also, in some instances, formed convex, and in others concave, 

 and in a few it has been fashioned of an octagon shape ; but each is fur- 

 nished with shafts for either one or two horses, according to the weight of 

 the machine and the power required to draw it. That which is ttie most 

 commonly used, however, is the solid cylinder made of oak or ash, in this 

 form, — 



The dimensions vary from b to 7^ feet in breadth, the diameter from 16 

 to 20 inches, and the weight from 10 to 15 cwt.; but sometimes it is made 

 9 feet in length and 20 to 30 inches in diameter, in which case it is worked 

 with double shafts, and if mucli weiglited is occasionally drawn by four 

 horses, and even by six oxen. Though all constructed upon the' same 

 principle, yet, as their size and weight are materially diflerent, it is evident 

 that they should be employed for different sorts of work ; yet there is not 

 one farmer in ten who has more tlian one, and this he uses upon every 

 occasion where a roller may be necessary. It is often also nothing better 

 than a rugged log of wood, not formed on anything like an accurate circle, 

 and having its two gudgeons — by which it is hung — driven in without any 

 regard to their being exactly placed in the centre of the cylinder or axis : 

 thus not only occasioning much irregularity, and consequently great in- 

 crease of friction on the action of the machine, but also never failing to loosen 

 the gudgeons, each of which is in turn wedged up with nails, or whatever 

 the labourer can find at hand, until being at length too much widened for 

 future use, a job is created for the blacksmith*. 



The frame, it will be perceived, is not alone clumsily strong and heavy, but 

 is usually mounted so far above the cylinder as to be nearly on a level with 



Vol. II. 



* Williamson's Agricultural Mechanism, p. 239. 



D 



