PREPARATION CF THE LAND 



17 



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 

 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 

 A HOME-MADE PLANK foj- marking and planting, for 



DRAG FOR SMOOTHING , . , J? ^-il- ^' 



which see Chapter Hi. 



