FARMER'S ASSISTANT. SIS 



the crop might not be successiuily raised, by sowing 

 the seed in the broadcast way; especially it the crop were 

 once gone over with the hoi, lor ihe purpose ot chining 

 the plants where ihe-y might stand too closely, as well as 

 for eradicating the first growth ot weeds* 



RIDGLING A name given to a half-castrated animal. 

 A Horse ut tnis description is as troublesome as a bullion, 

 and yet not fii to be rchcd on as one. * A ndghng Hog 

 (says Mr. Deane) will never be tat, nor grow so lagt a> a. 

 Barrow, till His castration be completed; as it may be, by 

 making an opening in the belly, wneu the case is most 

 difiiiuu. They should either be killed young, or completely 

 castrated. The iUbh ot a ridgling l j ig is goodj but that of 

 an old one, brawny and disagreeable/ 



ROLLER AND ROLLING The roller is useful ia 

 smoothing jne surUce ot meadows that have become un- 

 even, anu tor passing over grounds newly sown wuh gtain, 

 or mat are to be laid clown to grass. Tney are further 

 Ubwiul in breaking the lumps ot baked earth in a clay-soil; 

 bue, tor this purpose, a roller filled with iron spikes has 

 been prettrco ny some. 



See bPIKY ROLLER. 



The use ui me roller on grounds sowed with different 

 kinds ot grain, particularly barley, which is dry and husky, 

 is to cause the mould to enclose tne seeds; mucn ot which, 

 by lying m cavities that soon become dried, would other- 

 wise lull ot vegetating. It is also useiul in light dry soils, 

 for preventing tueir moisture from evaporating too easily. 

 Pcit.aps the roller is as useiul tor this purpose as for any 

 Oi.nti\ in regard to us application to crops ot grain. It is 

 also useful Ui depriving certain insects of their hiding-places 

 in the cavities 01 the soil. 



Tne rolling ot land, in tillage, should be done when the 

 ground is so dry that it will nut stick to the roller; and in 

 grass-lands, it should be perlormed in the Spring, when 

 tilt ground is solt and wet. 



A wooden roller should be about twenty inches or two 

 feet in diameter, and about six feet in length. It should be 

 round and ot an uniform surface. Where the roller is made 

 of stone, it should be about luurteen inches in diameter, and 

 of the length above mentioned. 



ROOTS. The most essential divisions of these, are 

 those ol the ta/i, the bulbous, and the Jibrous kinds. The 

 carrot, parsnip, beet, ciovci, &c. are uprooted; the pota- 

 toe, onion, turnip, &c. arc bulbous ; the plants of wheat, 

 barley, oats, herdsgrass, &c. have fiorous roots. Taproots 



