Rolling and Smoothing. 153 



tion. When circumstances will permit, the roller 

 should be followed by a smoothing 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 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 con- 

 nection is established between the soil moisture and 

 the air. A good method of treatment for clay is 

 to roll before the seed is sown, then harrow and 



Fig. 15. A pluuker or float. 



make a good seed bed, and then drill in 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 smoothen and compact 

 recently tilled lands. A good tool of this kind is 

 shown in Fig. 15. "To make this cheap and easily- 

 made adjunct to good cultivation, take two hard- 

 wood planks, 2x8 inches and 7 feet long, and 



