The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-08-27
Thick and Thin Seeding.


The Oxford Press under this cap.
ton, quotes A. j. Michener's exper-
fence in drilling one bushel of oats,
and that of John D. Miller's practice
of sowing seven bushels to the acre.
The Press comments are as follows:
"Now here are two intelligent farm.
ers who have taken the opposite ex
treme views on this subject and the
practical results in each case appear
to entirely satisfy each that he is
right. These reports are so conflict
ing that it is very difficult to arrive
at conclusion which is the best plan
and in the absence of a report of the
yield on the Maryland farm one can
only do SO on the hypothesis that the
farmer considers "a increase over the
ordinary crop go to so bushels per
acre) satisfactory. Still this is not
good logic when measured in the
Pennsylvania farmers bushel whose
crop increases in ratio with the in,
crease of seed and the result would
be, if z bushels of seed produce 20
bushels of grain. one oushel would
yield ten bushels; yet it is doubtful
if the Maryland farmer would consid.
er this much q good yield"
1t is very clear that the above rea-
son or hypothesis is faulty. Corbin
Cooley, one of our best farmers used
to advocate thick seeding, and sowed
8 or bushels of wheat to the acre.
His theory was this, when grain is
sown thin it tillers in order to occupy
the ground aud one set of roots are
drawn upon to nourish a number of
stalks and heads, which they cannot
do so successfully as one set of roots,
which has only one head and stalk of
grain to provide for. We do not,
however, consider this sound reason.
ing, although plausible. There are
two important factors IN this problem.
which play prominent part; namely.
tillage and manure. Practice has
demonstrated beyond doubt, that a
o fertile-very fertile-soil requires
much less seed than a thin soil, and
that well pulverized and thorough.
ly fined seed-bed requires much less
seed than lumpy, badly prepared
piece of ground. A rich soil is always
more friable and better reduced after
an ordinary narrowing than COM
paratively poor soil. There is more
humas and vegetable matter in sever.
al stages of decay in the former, and
hence more loamy and friable, so
that it disintegrates and crumbles
more easily, and is always in better
condition with the same amount of
work, to receive the seed, than the
former. A larger percentage of the
seed grows, and it requires less
quantity to. occupy the ground.
There is greater abundance of nu,
triment in the rich soil to feed the
young plants, and a less percentage of
young plants perish after terminating
in rich, than in poor soil. For these
twin reasons poor land requires more
small grain or grass seed than rich
land. If thorough culture is given
and a perfect seed bed been prepared,
less grain is required for either than is
commonly used. If corn is planted
close, unless the soil is very rich in
plant food that is readily available.
the ears will he small and many OF
them without grain. A like cause
will produce like effects with small
grain. 1fany farmer will Jake pains
to examine the drills after wheat is
up several inches he will find a large
number ofthe stalks dwindling and
dying out, and where the grain is thin
the thrifty stalks will be found .iller-
ing the ground. In rich soil that has
been thoroughly fined, roots multiply
rapidly and the stems accommodate