118 DRY FARMING 



with other implements though generally not so efficient- 

 ly as with the machines designed for that purpose. 



There are six more or less distinct types of soil firin- 

 ers, (1) the surface packers, "pulverizers'' or clod 

 crushers (Fig. 42A), (2) the sub-surface packers (Fig. 

 42B), (3) the so-called "culti-packer" (Fig. 42C), (4) 

 the smooth roller (Fig. 42D), (5) floats and plankers 

 (Fig. 42E) and (6) the press attachments for grain 

 drills. (Fig. 43A). 



88. The Purpose of Soil Firmers. — The chief function 

 of all six types of soil firmers is to aid in facilitating 

 the movement of moisture from the subsoil to the furrow 

 slice or in bringing the moisture of the soil into closer 

 contact with the seed or roots of plants. On "breaking", 

 any one of the first four types may be used to press the 

 furrow slice against the subsoil j the surface and sub- 

 surface packers are generally considered best but the 

 home-made float or planker requires less power and is 

 cheaper. After stubble plowing one or other of the 

 packers is usually preferred. In the drier parts the 

 subsurface packer is commonly used and in other areas 

 on late plowed fallows and on fall and spring plowing 

 it is preferred by some. It is, however, less of a general 

 purpose packer, and is in reality less used in the West 

 than the surface or corrugated packer. The "culti- 

 packer" is an excellent implement to pack the soil about 

 the seed after seeding, but for any other purpose it is 

 not considered to be superior to the surface packer. 



The plankers are chiefly used as levellers, but on 

 breaking their value is in flattening out the plowed fur- 

 rows. They are sometimes used on stubble fields after 

 seeding where some additional soil over the seed is de- 



