Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-03-24
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks With the Men Who Guide
the Plow.
OF General Interest toFarmer..
Deplh For PLANTING seeds.

Depth For Planting Seeds.
The proper depth for planting seeds is
not to be determined by the greatest
depth from which they will come up and
reach the surface successfully. A plant
may struggle and reach the surface so ex-
hausted that it never RECEIVERS its vigor,
and though it may not die, yet never at
tain perfect development. The condi-
tions of life whilst under the ground,
and after it has come up into the light
and air, arc quite different Under the
ground it lives upon the food stored up
for it in the seed, drawing nothing from
the soil, perhaps, but water. The heat
in the soil is the motive power which ex-
cites it into activity. When it gets up
into the air an entirely new set Of opera
tions begins. Like everything else it
tends to lose moisture by evaporation; /;
the water which thus escapes is replaced
by more absorbed from the soil, and with
this absorbed water comes into it food
from the soil. Its leaves bathed in the
air, draw in carbOnic acid from the at
mosphere, and with the aid of sunlight
build up, out of it and the elements of
NatOA, uCW tloouOc. II lIAuo DCtOniNo an
independent existence. Whilst under
the ground it was dependent under its
mothers milk (he food laid up for it,.
now it can forage for itself. If planted
too deep, the food laid for it may be ex-
hausted before it can reach the surface !;
in that event it perishes; or it may fall a
little short of this, and reach the surface
with its parts imperfectly Developed
its leaves small, its stalks slender; or
still farther, it may reach the surface be-
fore its supply of seed food is exhausted,
and proceeding to gather food from the
atmosphere, receive no check and not be-
come stunted in its growth.
Natures mode of seeding is to drop the
seeds on the surface, and trust to their
being covered by rain, or alternate freez
ings and thawings, or by insects disturb
ing the soil, or other agencies of like ma
ture. Whilst this is an uncertain mode,
and calls for large amount of seed, be-
cause so great portion is liable to fail
urc of covering, it indicates very clearly
that natures method is shallow covering,
and that the organization of plants is
adapted to shallow covering. Just
enough covering to secure the necessary
moisture is the plain indication. Espe-
cially is this true early in the season when
moisture near the surface is abundant,
and heat (the motive power is greater
than at lower depths As the season adj
vances moisture retires from the surface
and heat penetrates deeper down, and
seeds must be planted deeper, but the
loose dry nature of the soil above them
enables young plants to reach the surface
more easily than when the soil is wet
and cold. So much for theoretical con-
siderations- practice, however. confirms
theme careful experiments with planting
seeds at different depths show that for
the larger seed, like corn, wheat. oats,
etc., ore or two inches covering give
the most vigorous plants and largest
yields. Plant corn now as shallow as
possible. atlanta ChRststutioH.