ROLLER. 
and in 1842 he took out a patent for the present 
implement, the improvements consisting, first, in 
setting each toothed rim free to revolve separate- 
ly on a round, instead of their being fitted on a 
square axle ; and secondly, in giving a different. 
form and direction to the lateral teeth. By the 
first-named alteration the independent action of 
each rim was secured, so that each rim, in the 
progressive movement of the whole series, re- 
volves upon its axis, and at the rate exactly due 
to the space to be travelled over in surmounting 
the irregularities presented to it ; whilst in 
turning, all tearing of the soil or plants is avoided 
by the same faculty, which permits every rim or 
disc to adapt its velocity to the space required 
for each one to pass over, either forwards or 
backwards, in the act of turning; in fact, this 
roller can be turned about on the centre of its 
axle without producing any injurious effect. The 
independent motion of the rims also provided a 
powerful means of self-cleaning ; for, inasmuch 
as the velocity of the several rims is perpetually 
varying, so they rub off the soil which might 
otherwise adhere to them—an action now further 
increased by enlarging the bore of the eye of 
each alternate ring, which causes a kind of 
eccentric or up and down motion to take place 
between each pair, and among the whole series 
of rings or discs. This last improvement consists 
in the enlargement of the eye of each alternate 
ring, forming collectively the series of rings or 
discs of which the roller is composed; so that of 
these rings, which are 23 in number, 12 have 
eyes fitting the axle just freely enough to revolve 
upon it, whilst the 11 alternate rings have their 
eyes enlarged about half an inch more in diame- 
ter. This arrangement has added materially to 
the effect of the implement in abrading and re- 
ducing hard clods; it has also induced among 
the rings a more eflicient self-cleaning movement, 
when the roller is used on moister soils or softer 
clods; so that, practically, the scope and power 
of the roller have been augmented, without add- 
ing to its cost, or impairing its extreme simpli- 
city; and it can now be employed on soil when 
in states which would have clogged it, or have 
diminished its effect if all the rings on the axis 
had eyes of similar size. The superior results 
arising from this disposition of parts are alto- 
gether attributable to what is properly termed 
action — mechanical action; and it has been 
owing to its possessing this function in so high 
a degree, that Mr. Crosskill’s patent-roller has 
proved to be more effective in comminuting and. 
compressing soil than the common plain roller, 
or than the serrate-edged ringed-roller with a 
square axle, first introduced by him. Mr. Cross- 
_ kill’s square-axle toothed roller first made its 
appearance in the Society’s show-yard at Cam- 
bridge in 1840—the round axled patented ma- 
chine at Derby in 1843—a premium of £20 was 
awarded for it by the judges at Southampton in 
1844—and it gained the Society’s prize of £10 
ROLLING. 67 | 
at Shrewsbury in 1845, having on all occasions 
of trial at the Society’s shows greatly excelled 
the performance of every other roller brought 
into competition with it. The fourth volume of 
the Royal Agricultural Society’s Journal con- 
tains a large collection of instances of its utility 
in arresting the ravages of the wire-worm—an 
effect owing probably to the forcible bite of the 
teeth on the-ground—in the pulverization of 
stiff, and compression of light soils, together with 
the opinions of numerous agriculturists upon its 
value as a roller of various crops in a state of 
young growth. Its application to the latter pur- 
pose has greatly extended since that period, and 
the writer may bear his testimony to the success 
attending its employment on pasture land in de- 
stroying the white slug, curing mossiness, and 
especially in consolidating soft grass-land after 
drainage. For these latter uses the effect of the 
implement is greatly enhanced by weighting it 
to the full extent of the power of the team which 
can be commanded.” See the article Roxirne. 
Garrett’s patent clod-crusher and cultivator 
has also a heavy, rough, biting surfaced cylinder, 
and comprises a patent improved method of 
heightening or lowering the wood carriage wheels, 
so as to produce any required degree of pressure 
in working, and to obviate all difficulty in re- 
moving the implement from field to field. This 
roller acts very powerfully in crushing clods on 
heavy lands; and is peculiarly suitable after a 
drought, or in a very dried state of the soil, for 
preparing fallow lands for root crops, and for 
pulverizing hard and cohesive cloddy surfaces, 
and raising mould for the barley seed. Some 
very experienced agriculturists who have tried 
it recommend it as most desirable for prepar- 
ing clover lands for wheat, by rolling it once or 
twice over the ploughed and dried land, in order 
that it may thoroughly press down the flag, and 
raise an inch or more of mould on the top; for 
when the implement is so set upon the travel- 
ling-wheels as to enter the ground to the depth 
of 135 or 2 inches, it gives that firmness to the 
under soil which is so desirable for wheat, and 
presses down the flag so closely as not to admit 
any harbour for the slug, and at the same time 
acts as a preventative of the ravages of the wire- 
worm. 
ROLLING. The employment of the roller on 
gravel walks, on grass lands, on ploughed lands, 
on sown lands, or on young or rising field crops. 
Rollers of different kinds, and different weights 
and sizes, are required for different purposes; 
and those of the garden are few and simple, and 
of easy and obvious application,—while those of 
the farm are very diversified, and cannot often 
be used without much judgment respecting the 
proper time and the suitable circumstances for 
applying them. 
The heavy smooth rolling of pasture lands is 
highly beneficial under a variety of conditions,— 
and particularly when the surface has been ren- 
i Eva graeese| 
