Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-10-25
49,
GHRM F0gGD
sss An. CARR Den
THICK Or THIN SEEDING.
A New Drift In the Matter For Both
Wheat and Grnss.

A New Drift In the Matter For Both
Wheat and Grass.
While some of the largest recorded
Yields of various farm crops have been
obtained from very light seeding near
" every series of experiments, carried
through a long term of years, indicates
that The largest average yields of most
crops are obtained from heavy seeding.
Under favorable soil and climatic con-
ditions half the usual amount of seed
has been made to produce an enormous
crop, and some such instances in the
case Of wheat, of corn. of potatoes and
of the grasses have been given prom
inence in the farm journals that doubt
less has nisled thousands who could
furnish ideal conditions for a crop.
There las been too much drift toward
light seeding for the good of the ma
iority. aud believe that we shall see
more advocacy of thicker seeding in
the future. Three pecks of wheat can
be made to produce a big yield from
one acre of land, and six bushels of po-
tatoes can be made to do the same If
soil and weather are all right, but on
most farms double that amount of
seed will give a surer crop. The man
who counts only on the grain in a
corn crop and wants big ears for husk-
ing argues for light seeding, but where
the object is the best feeding value
from an acre experiment shows that
we have inclined toward too few rath-
err than too many stalks on an acre of
ground In seeding to grass we are
learning that the heavier the seeding
the surer the catch even up to point Of
doubling the customary quantities of
seed per acre. In seasonable years
with good soil in fine tilth all this may
not apply. but on nine farms out of
ten in average years l believe that it
does apply. and thus bears out the
usual results from experiments at the
various state stations.
Alva Agee fortifies the foregoing
opinion. expressed In National Stock
man and Farmer, with the experience
Of Professor Hickman of the Ohio sta
ton. Among tests which the latter has
been making with wheat is one of
thick and thin seeding. and the results
for six years agree in showing that on
the soil at Wooster a seeding of eight
peczs per acre is none too heavy for
the best results. Indeed nine to ten
per acre gave the biggest yields
and best quality of grain. but the re-
suits from eight pecks are nearly as
good, while those from seven. six. five
and four peclzs are decidedly inferior.
Mr.. Agee's comment is:
Il do not think that cur alluvial soil
needs as much seed as the Wooster
soil, but the experiment points toward
heaE5w rather than light seeding. If
be correct for normal years, it is
even more desirable in a year when
we seed wheat on the shares with the
Hessian fly.
In respect to time of seeding Profess
or Hickman says: In the early and
late seeding of the last two years we
have had Hessian flies most abundant
ly, and their work has been very dam
aging. The early sown wheat has Civ
en- them every opportunity. yet our
yields have been higher in every in
stance from the earlier than from the
-la1e- -gesdIag~ This Is in line with OBJ
seryation of many others that soil must
be exceptionally fine and fertile for
very late seeding.
t'For rich, alluvial soil the station rec
ommends the Valley. For my soil the
straw is too soft. After two years ex-
perlence with it we go back to the
Poole, which has done well with us
and Is accounted by the station one Of
the very best varieties