Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1880-03-04
HOW DEEP TO COVER SEED,


grains more than clover, and The grasses
least OF ali This rule requires a depth OF
five OF six diameters Of the seed-A light |
covering for the smaller grasses; yet weuS-
ualiy give them Il much lighter or much
heavier burial. We lease HE seed on the
harrow it in, which burieS :, large share be-
yond resurrection, aud is therefore Il loss.
This shows errors embracing the two eX-
trencs OF Two Il rcp auh two shallow cover
ing, leaving II comparatively small proper
ton that meets the successful requirement.
1t is true some OF the rest will yegctale. but
ii comes wNh less vigor, and is less enabled
to withstand the season--the lisht-cOycred
failing IA a dvou,h, the dcep-buricd being
drowned by much rain. In good ground,
aud with Il good season, there vii! he more
or less success with these extremes ; but in
all cases The properly covered seed will
make the bulk of the crop, and from com
paratively a small proportion of the seed
| sown, the lack being made up by tillerlng.
We are, therefore, annually sacrificing
large amount of seed. 1t would probably
be safe to say tha, half the grain and grass
seed sown IS lost. Thus millions of dollars
worth o; seed is thrown away, and every
farmer contributes his share.
[ have said that to each seed certain
depth is needed. But this depth find va
ries in different soils, sand requiring more,
clay less; yet whoever makes the allow
ance? The blowing, narrowing and SOW
are the same in both. A clay loan, rich
and IN good condition, will admit the least
covering, probably of all sdals. 1t is heavy
and hugs the seed closely. Timothy sown
on such soil newly worked, and lett SO,
will, with favorable moist weather, make a
good catch and produce good crop. This
has been the prac tice i'll times past, and Is
vet 10 some extent. But the season cannot
| be foreold !; the moisture may be lacking,
or u drouth set in Immediately after sprout-
ing. Perfection could be obtained by SOW
| ing on an even surtace--made even by har-
row and roller---and covering to the requi.
site depth by dropping fine earth from a
plaster machine, enlarged in it's capacity,
or some invention answering the purpose.
The fine earth could be enriched and a com
post added. This process prob0bly would
be too expensive and take too much time.
If practicable, it certainly would be and i'm
provement on all previous modes of cover.
| ing the seed, with the advantage of manur-
ing at the same time, and the farther advan'
tage of selecting for the covering earth
suited to the land. Thus clay might be
used on sand, and sand on clay. This o1
course is only hint. The practical ques
ton is as to plan to secure the nearest ap
proach to perfect covering? Advance has
been made with the drill. The wheat croI
has been improved by it, and can be I'M
proved still more by better adjustment o
the depth to the different kinds of soil. A
mellow condition of the seed bel is indis
pensabc; it cannot we'll be worked and
fined too much, not only to secure the prop
: er mechanical requirement, but the iertilit,
is increased by the working. The roller
then will make it even and titit to rec, i've
the seed, which is best covered by a smooth
ing harrow, the weight of the harrow ant
the size OF the teeth depending upon th'
kind of seed that is sown. For grass sect
, the drag must be light and the teeth fine 81
, as to stir the soil very little without dis
placing, it and followed by the roller. Fo
grain heavier harrow with longer teeth i
J, needed. harrow to cover grass seed ha
long been wanted. The use of the brush
drag, the roller or the grain harrow, doe
not give full satisfaction. The frost offer
is preferred early in the spring on white
grain, and it usually does the best, becau>
covering evenly and lightly.
, BY treating land in this way less seed
+ required, and the catch more certain-ney
, er failing if put in early enough-provdin!
always that the land iasufficien'ly rich t
push the growth when started. Mellos
and prous ground will allow of deeper Gov
ering, and will thus the better withstan
drouth. Corn should be put in deeper tha
! is the practice; SO with the grains, buck
wheat perhaps excepted, which will make