Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-04-26
Sowing Broadcast ana Drilling IN Grain


1t it somewhat singular that in the uaquea-
tiOnshle progress which has been made in New
England agricultural machines, so little a,;en-
ton has teen given TO the use OF the drill, in
sowing snall grains. The probability is that
there mot more than one or two good sesi drills
for sowing grsss seed and grains. in each one
hundred isrms in New England. Their value is
Acknowledged by many, but their cost seems 10
be the objection urged against them. Their cost
Is cIs thaa that Of the moving machine, bu; the
humber Of acres 10 be moved if so much larger
thsn those towed to grain. that the faameg has 10
btfitation in purchasing the latter.
/. is next to 40 impossibilitv TO SOW grain or
grass seed evenly hy hand; that is, so that each
foot @ rod Of AZ acre shall have nearly aa equal
number Of reeds This good drill will do In
doing this, il is supposed that one-fourth less
reed If i,quirod than when it is sown by hand
That is, three pecks Of wheat instead OF four
srd 70 Of other reeds Another saving would
lie, tina; a man snd horse with good drill,
would sos scme Eve OF SIX times as much in
day, as a man could by hand
In Sn English agricultural society some wears
age, when the subject CT farm machinery was
di.cus,ed, the following advantages we're SET
forth ss being derived from the Use Of q drill
ing machine fer sowing wheat, other smsll
srsiuF, sod grsss seed =
l. Toe seed is delivered with regularity
> II If deposited At proper depth.
3. The weeds during the growth Of plants are
destroyed with great facility.
lie plants cultivated receive the undivided
b1nehs Of the eel and manure and have not TO
niautsiu q constant struggle with Weeds
o. The Ism by the process Of hoeiug, il IN
Gergoing preparations for another crop.
q The necessity Of summer falowingis avoid
I'd.
:. By the admission Of air and sun to the
rows, stronger snd heslthier plant is produced
snd Of oourfe heavier crop.
5. By stirring the soil it is more susceptible Of
hereht from the atmosphere, imbibiug more oxy-
gen, and being both warmed and enriched by
the run.
9 The roots shoot freely in pulyerzed soil
10 By drilling, The farmer is enabled Is hsye
heavier crops Of beant and wheat on light
lsnd
Il. Clover and grass eesds answer incompsr-
ably better 10 the pu lvtrizstion paoduced by
hoeing, Independent Of the ce.rness from
weeds
y Tue diiils give facility for depositing
smaller portions Of manure with greater eff
feet
The reader will observe that 10 the third item.
II Is s;r;cd thar the weeds are DESTROYED with
great fsc,h'y. This il because the seeds are
sosn IN straight lines, and At regular distance.
sp.rt Room Is thus afforded the cultivStor 70
pas through, Elir the sol with hoe emitted 10
the work. d destroy all weeds In broadcast
sowing this cannot be done, 50 that our fields
IRE ireueuty badly robbed by weeds Of the nu-
trlmtnt which tie grain needs, vnd when bAr-
vested ne price is much reduced By fslte and
worthless teedt mixed with il, This is the pro
Cert Of hoeing'' alluded TO in item five. as not
only greatly bcptd;iing the grain, but as an i'm
portsnt preparation OF the land for succeeding
crops
1t may be objected to this mode Of raising
gam, that II will cost too much for labor. II
the crop, however, were largely increased by this
process, and the land put in excellent condition
Tor future crops his objection would fall. AT
the meeting TO which we have alluded allow. one
OF the speakers affirmed that ffty-six busbel. Of
wheat per acre had been raised on some of the
light soils in Norfolk.
An average Of the wheat crop in New Eng
hnd does not exceed twenty bushels If
could add ten bushels to that average, VIC oould
wen anord TO weed it and hoe it too
good drill would answer ali the nurno... =,
the whole neighborhood Of farmers, and by COM