The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-09-03
Grain Drills.
The Atchison Free Press says /:

interested in the Agriculture of Kansas, to
read them carefully. We have no doubt
that the yield of our next wheat crop would |
be increased fifty per cent. if instead of it /
being scratched in on the sur(aoS of the /
ground this fall, it were to be put deep
ly with grain drills. There is T n Ell nee
of opinion on this subject alnonY JFs~ who |
are acquainted with the mode OF culture |
and who understand the peculiarities Of our
soil and climate.
Let US have our wheat put down IN the
ground and buried there. Then it will have
depth of root, and the dry days of autumn
will not scorch and kill it, and perhaps pre-
vent it from terminating at all, nor will the
winds of winter expose the roots by blow
ing the shallow covering of soil from them.
Let US have the surface of the planted
field left in shallow ridges east and west,
with the seed buried beneath the slight fur
winters will increase the depth of covering
instead of blowing the roots out of the
ground. Upon this subject, DR.. Q. A.
Buck, of Jefferson county, one of the most
successful grain raisers In Kansas, made
the following remarks before the Farmers
Club OF the State Agricultural Society, at
meeting at Topeka last winter:
''Dr. Buck said he was raised on farm,
and after following profession for about
| fifteen years be returned to farming he
then found that he had forgotten how to
raise grain or else he never knew. He tried
crop after crop of wheat, but it never did
we'll till he put it in with drill, and it new
err failed when put in with drill. raise
grain now when nobody else does. ! have
fine wheat field now, as dry as it was last
| fall. and it is the only field in the neigbbor-
hood. | have never found it too dry for
wheat to sprout and grow when put in with
drill. The drill which use was made in
Pennsylvania. 1t goes like clock work.
DR.. Buck then described the machine and
the manner of its working. It will cost
now SIS to 800. 1t drops rows eight
inches apart. 1 SOW all kinds of grain with
it. can SOW on sod with it, though of
course you don't want to sow sod wheat if
you can help it, Besides the advantage of
having your grain put in so that it will al
ways grow, it is a pleasure to take your bag
of grain and mount your drill at the grain
cry, drive to the field, and drive and ride
after you get there instead of having to
tramp over the clods of soft ground all day.
Every farmer should have his grain put in
with drill.
"Gen. J. NJ. Mcdowell, of Leavenworth,
said his business in Kansas was not farm
ing, but he was brought up on farm, and
he took great deal of interest while trav-
cling over the State in observing the pro-
gress of farming. Nothing had occurred
to him as a want Of the farmers of Kansas
more than the implement under discussion.
In his part of Pennsylvania, which is a
wheat growing region, grain is all put in
with drill. 1t would be considered ru-
incus want of economy to put in wheat as
it is done in Kansas. Put in with drill,
every grain will eprout, and in a dry sea-
son it is essential. I am confident that if
the drill were used in Kansas, winter wheat
would be a sure crop.
CDR. Buck said in a dry time he would
SOW wheat six inches deep with drill.
The drill leaves small furrow, which will
catch the rain if it falls. If it don't rain
it will get moisture from below"
An intelligent farmer communicates the
following on this subject to the Lawrence
Journal in recent article:
eff the wheat had been put in with drills
last year, the crop would have been double
; what it is. The extra yield on ten acre:
would have paid for wheat drill. AS oul
country is generally dry more or less during
the year it behooves our farmers to put il
our grain crops so that those dry spells vii
not effect them so much. | see that farm
ers are going in largely for moving ma
chimes. This is as it should be, but l thinl
. our wheat should receive our first attention
corn next, and then the grass or hay. Go
the cart before the horse, lave they not
y No, not exactly for prairie country. Th'
! next step should be to get wheat drills am
} corn planters. As the season fc-ES sowing
wheat is near at hand, it would Z a wis
a policy farmers to send and get wheat drills
Will not the agricultural implement dealer
in Lawrence, LeaVenworth, Topeka, Atch
p ison and all other places, take hold at one
: and bring out lot of wheat drills for tn
. farmers? They should be careful aud brini
none but good drills. AS the army Is tax
q ing away so many Of our farm hands, lie
4 US supply their places by drills, labor saw
d ing machinery. especially just now with
: wheat drills. With wheat drills the boy
= and the women could put in most of th
wheat this fall. I hope this will meet tn
. eyes of every farmers wife, and stir her u
so that she will insist on her husband get
n ting wheat drill and let her drill in hi
wheat while he fights our battles upon th
= tented fields. A good plan is for farmer
d to club together, as one drill will do six
j ten farmers. Another good plan is for ii
= farmers who are too poor TO buy drill
!. urge some young man, or one of their num
4 Der, TO get drill, and then hire him to dTi
= in their wheat, paying him so much a
acre-same plan as mowers are managin
/ in many parts of the country. So let th
: cry be wheat, mole wheat and bette
= wheat Go out aud on with your whes
: drills. friend farmers