, 1858-12-10

agriculture.
Thick or Thin sOVvIng1 :

Fifteen years of experience are worth
something, or at all events ought to be Of
some value. Docs the quantity of wheat
sown regulate the the quantity of corn to be
produced? Most decidedly not. As gen
cral rule, the large qua tity Of seed sown
produces the smallest result, because it i'm
plies poor or ill.cultivated soil, having no
power to compel the plant to tilIer. 1t
would be absurd to lay down an arbitrary
rule of quantity for all sorts and climates
but We may take these general rules as a
safeguard =
That the quantity Of seed must be dimin-
ished in proportion as the natural or artiiici-
al fertility of the sci is increased.
That in such soil tho sowing of 700 much
seed produces a rank and close vegetation,
prematurcly developed, laid early, apt to be
mldewed, and ruinously unproductive in
quality and quantity.
The extreme illustration of this is afford
cd by the punches grown from masses OF
seed dropped from the drill, or accumulated
BY mice.
That time is gained or early harvesting is
promoted by two Causes-a highly lnanured,
drained, and fertile soil, OF by q large quau.
tity Of seed. In the latter case prematurity
is attained at sacrifice Of quantity. II ]
were asked whether would sow thick to
produce an carly harvest or whether |
would sow thin and earlier, to produce the
same result, | would most decidedly prefer
the latter mode.
Experience has taught many farmers that
II they will conti' ue TO SOW the same guam
tity of seed as they used TO do when they
farmed less highly, they must SOW later to
avoid prcmaturely laid crop.
Ifcvcry farmer had tried las | have done)
for series of years, on moderate space,
the comparative result of giving quantities
Sown at stated periods, each man would
have arrived at suitable quantity adapted
to his own climate and circumstances.
Several Of my wheat fields this year are
estimated at six to seven quarters las to 56
bushcls) per acre. need hardly say that
the straw is like reeds, and abundant in
quantity. This is from q bushel Of seed
drilled per acre.
have said that high manuring renders q
small quantity of seed absolutely necessary.
ought to add, that every weed should be
extirpated, and the whole Of the soil placed
at the sole use Of the growing crop. But
how stands the fact on the majority Of farms
in this kingdom A fierce competition goes
on between the thiCkly.sown grain crop and
powerful natural crtp of hungry weeds,
the latter too often consuming that which
ought to have been the nutriment of the
former, thereby reducing it in quantity and
quality, to the serious injury of the farmer.
This is no highly -colOred picture. If trav.
el by the flying train in the month Of May,
lean, even SO, perceive this blot upon Eng
lish farming in every direction; a painful
reminder Of agricultural neglect and miscal.
culation.
How few know the use of Carrots horse
hoe! For fifteen years my wheat and other
crops have benefited by this. The farm
laborers know well the value of clean hoe
ing, and can predict the failure or success Of
tde crop accordingly.
Why farmer should deem it necessary
to hoe his turnips, and not his corn, (wheat)
is tome mystery. Tho same principle
applies equally to both. The amount Ob.
stracted annually from the farmers pockets
by the growth Of weeds is something en-.
ormous in the aggregate.
The effect Of extra manuring ON the pro
portion Of seed was strltmgIy cxemplifcd