Frost coming out of the ground in the spring raises the lawn into
humps. If these are not rolled down at once, the lawn is rough all
summer.
Rollers were originally made by the farmer from logs of wood. These
were abandoned for the more expensive iron rollers, purchased in the
nearest town. To-day farmers are again making rollers, but are using
concrete. An iron roller with a cylinder from 2 to 3 feet in length
will cost from $15 to $20, whereas one of the same size constructed of
concrete will cost practically nothing.
Obtain a length of sewer pipe, of the size of roller wished for. A tile
from 12 to 24 inches in diameter will usually suit the purpose. Set
this tile on end, small end down, on a wooden platform. Through a hole
bored in the platform insert a 1-inch round iron bar, long enough to
project beyond the ends of the roller a sufficient distance to provide
bearings and attachment for the handles. Care should be taken to get
the bar exactly in the center of the tile before placing concrete,
and to keep it there while the concrete is being placed. Make a wet
mixture of concrete (1: 2: 4), and fill the tile with this mixture,
up to the “bell” of the tile. Allow the concrete to set for ten days,
when the roller may be placed on side, and the bell of pipe chipped off
with a cold chisel and hammer. Attach a forked handle, as shown in the
illustration. As the axle is a firmly-fixed part of the roller, the
fork ends of the handle must be provided with holes, within which the
axle can turn.
A roller 18 inches in diameter and 2 feet long will weigh about 600
pounds. If a lighter roller is desired, use a smaller sized sewer
pipe; or place several small pipes inside the large one, depositing
the concrete around them on the outside. They will form hollow spaces
inside the roller and lessen its weight.
By increasing the size pipe, or by using a steel mold and attaching
a pair of shafts or a tongue instead of a handle, horse rollers for
crushing the clods in the ploughed fields may be made.
[Illustration]