90 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



put in the best possible form for parting with its moist- 

 ure into the atmosphere, unless prevented by a surface 

 mulch. In seeding land in a dry time, the soil should be 

 rolled in order to bring sufficient moisture to the seeds to 

 insure germination. 



When circumstances will permit, the roller should be 

 followed by a smoothihg-harrow, that the surface mulch 

 may be restored and the moisture stopped before reaching 

 the atmosphere. On clay lands, the roller must be used with 

 much caution. If used immediately after grain is sown and 

 if a heavy rain follows, there is danger of the soil becoming 

 so compact on the surface that the tender shoots are unable 

 to get through, and the most direct connection is estab- 

 lished between the soil-moisture and the air. A good 



method of treat- 

 ment for clay is to 

 roll before the seed 

 is sown, then har- 

 row and make a 

 good seed-bed, and 



FIG. 18. One form of planker or float. then ^ ^ the 



grain. After the plants are well up, the roller may be 

 used again, which will bring the water to the surface, where 

 the growing plants can make use of it before it passes 

 off by evaporation. 



Various kinds of plankers or floats may be used in the 

 place of the roller to smooth and compact recently tilled 

 lands. A good tool of this kind is shown in Fig. 18. "To 

 make this cheap and easily-made adjunct to good culti- 

 vation, take two hardwood planks, 2x8 inches and 7 

 feet long, and notch them as in the cut, boring a hole at 

 the upper end to hitch to; the notches should be 8 inches 

 apart and 2 inches deep; now nail cross-planks on the two 



