Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-03-02
Thin Seeding of Wheat.
From the Country gentleman.

WAN OS-SS>~Ass>~'
I noticed in recent issue discussion
of the question how much seed-wheat to
SOW to the acre. I am aware that to settle
question of this kind definitely requires
much more experimenting than have
done; but, as have given the matter some
attention for the last five years, will give
my experience. was first led to expert
ment with thin seeding. from counting the
grains of wheat in the heads. I found that
my field would average forty grains. and as
grain of wheat which produces anything
must produce one head, and might produce
several, this would be forty-fold, or forty
bushels to the acre where one bushel Of
wheat was sown. The question arose in my
mind as to what becomes of the seed when
a bushel and half is sown and only fifteen
bushels harvested Each grain produces
one head, with forty grains, and this would
make sixty bushels to the acre; therefore,
could arrive at no other conclusion than
that three fourths of the seed sown pro-
duces nothing.
In my first experiment., in 1877, select
ed two acres Of good wheat land, plowed it
early, and by repeated stirring put it in ex-
cellent order, and on September 7th
drilled half a bushel Of seed on one acre
and bushel on the other. There was
such difference in the appearance of the
two plats that for some weeks it conld be
seen in riding past; but before winter it had
stooled so as to show little difference. and
as soon as spring opened it thickned up 80
that could not tell where the thin seeding
began except by finding the stake. Being
sown early, this wheat was considerably
damaged by fly; but the two acres threshed
out 70 bushels, and the difference between
the tive plats was SO small that no one could
tell which was the light-eeeded. had four
hands to help nae harvest it, none OF whom
knew how it was sown, and told them to
pay particular attention to the yield, and
see If they could tell which side of the field
was heavy and which light seeded Not
one Of them could give guess, and when
came to shock it I found 81 shocks on
one acre and So on the other.
| The next year sowed the same land and
| four acres adjoining, and hired man with q
new drill to SOW for me. told him to put
half q bushel on the first acre, and three
pecks each on the other five. Not having
used the drill enough to understand it, he
made mistake. and drilled in on both q
third Of an acre q very small amount OF seed.
As did not discover the mistake until the
wheat came up, cannot, Of course, tell
what quantity Of wheat he did use; but il
must have been much less than peck to
the acre, for there were many drills In
which there was not grain for two or three
feet, and, although the land vas manfred
heavily and in the best possible condition,
the wheat scarcely showed on the ground al
all before winter set in. The next spring
it looked SO bare that concluded to pillow
the crop up and plant potatoes; but, after
getting to the field with the team. changed
my mind and let it stand. The field aver.
aged just 80 bushels to the acre and this
thin strip was little below the average
the best acre in the field where three pecks
was sown, would have made over 40 bush.
els, think fully 45.