The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-04-06
Drilling Wheat.

We copy from the Louisville Courier the
following communication on the subject of
the drilling of wheat, (signed "An old
Farmer of Fayette county" } which embodes
some excellent suggestions to farmers. The
views expressed will apply to the raising of
wheat in Southern Indiana, as well as to
that business in Kentucky:
In the Agricultural Department of your
paper, of the oath March, you describe in very
proper terms the careless, slovenly manner
in which wheat is cultivated in the State of
Kentucky, and the results of poor and Hn-
certain crops following such cultivation.
In addition to what you have said, permit
me to add, that one great cause of failure of
the wheat crop i'll the State, is the irregular
and superficial manner IN which the seed is
put into the ground. AS long as farmers
will persist in sowing wheat broadcast, they
must expect poor and uncertain crops. In
this latitude, we seldom have snow to pro-
tect the plant, and as n consequence large
proportion, sometimes nearly all, freezes out
during the winter. For the last three years
have sOwed most of my wheat with seed
drill with the most decided advantages. In
the first place it saves seed. Three pecks to
the acre, sown with drill, brings fully
equal to bushel and half sown broad.
cast. This is in consequence of the seed be-
ing deposited at proper and uniform depth
where the ground is moist, insuring early
termination and vigorous growth. Whereas
much of the seed sown broad cast, is left on
OF near the ground exposed to birds, or to
perish for want of sustenance.
In the second place, it prevents it from
winter killing or freezing out. Seed drilled
in is left in trench or small furrow, and
as the earth crumbles during the winter il
falls round the roots of the plants, protect
ing them from the frosts and winds, which
are the cause effreezing or winter killing
In the third place, drilling in wheat save:
it in Il great degree from rust Rust il
grain is caused by the bursting of the straw!
in particular kind of weather, by which the
sap or juices of the plants, which are needee
TO mature the seed, escape and run dowT
the straws, causing the red appearance
which we too often see in our harvest fields
AS grain put in with drill stands in rows
freer circulation of air and penetration o
the rays of the sun are permitted, which
harden the straw and prevents it from burst
ing. This fact, and the additional one, thai
from the increased vigor of its growth il
ripens from five to eight days earlier than
that sown broadcast, are almost n certain
protection against rust
That portion of my wheat which was
drilled in, yielded me thirty-five bushels to
the acre. while that sown broadcast scarcely
produced fifteen bushels.
My wheat this year, having all been
drilled in, stands beautiful on the ground
and promises well, while that of my neigh
bors, with very few exceptions of early
sown wheat, is almost a failure. consider
my drill among the most important i'm
plements | have on my farm, AS it is use
less to provide larvesters, &c, unless
have something to harvest. The general
use of the drill last year would have saved
Kentucky a number of miIliens of dollars.