PREPARATION OF THE LAND 



A GOOD LAND-ROLLER 

 COMPACTS AND SMOOTHS 



water then runs into the furrows, allowing the ridges 

 to dry off more rapidly, permitting of earlier work- 

 ing in the spring. Prop- 

 erly drained or tiled 

 land seldom requires 

 ridging. (Ridging or 

 hilling or banking cel- 

 ery, etc., is a different 

 operation.) 



FERTILIZING AND 

 MANURING. See Chap- 

 ter IV. 



. HARROWING. The 

 Acme harrow is a very 

 good general-purpose 

 smoothing harrow. The 

 spring-tooth harrow is helpful on rough, stony, un- 

 even land. The spike-tooth, or peg-tooth, is a splen- 

 did all-round harrow (but it should be so made that 

 the teeth can be given a backward slant when it is 

 desired to work recently-planted potatoes or corn). 

 Harrowing should follow plowing as soon as pos- 

 sible in the spring, and be very thorough lengthwise, 

 crosswise and diagonally, until the ground is as fine 

 and mellow as an ash heap. The disc harrow is an 

 excellent implement for spring work on fall-plowed 

 ground, and for other special purposes. 



PLANK DRAG, OR ROLLER. After harrowing, 

 smooth or "float" the ground with some kind of 

 a home-made drag, or roll it with a field roller. 

 (See several illustrations in this 

 chapter.) Then the soil should be 

 in compact, excellent condition 



. 



which see Chapter III. 



