Alford Image Library

Rolling Cereals at Whitehouse

Lord Arthur's Hill forms the backdrop for this scene. Contrast this photograph with an earlier one showing rolling using a horse drawn roller. Rolling cereal or grass seed is crucial to successful germination. As the seed is compressed plant hormones called gibberellins are released which trigger the process of germination in the seed. Rolling also consolidates the soil around the seed and rolled soil tends to have fewer weeds sprouting as competitors to the crop.