Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-11
ALL ABOUT SEEDING.
Thinning May Be All Right in Small Operations, But Expensive for Com merciaI Operations.

It is necessary to know something about proper thickness of seeding and methods of sowing seeds. The thick ness of sowing seeds in a row or the number fo seeds planted on each hill depends, of course, upon whether O. not the plants are to be thinned. This seeding will increase the certainty of securing a full stand in spite of ad- verse conditions. A mass of seedlings close together can break through a hard crust that could not have been penetrated by a simple seeding. For merly wheE people did little testing of seeds it was the practice to SOW
 large number of seeds in the hopes that some might be fit for germination and find conditions proper so that they might germinate. This is still permis- sible where small areas are to be planted and where one is not certain of the results.
 In commercial operations, the labor or thinning becomes large expense and it is more economical of seed and labor to use good seeds and to pre- pare the seeedbed properly so that they cannot help but do well unless condi- tions are abnormal. Onion growers especially have developed the art
 seeding at a proper thickness, so that they do not have to thin. They get the highest quality of seed, testing for germ1nattve power and adjust their i drills so accurately that the amount of l SCSO SO"u per acre can O6 T0RuldL6Q down to one or two ounces. Corn grow CTS follow the same practice of testing l and then planting only thick enough to give them good stand.
 It is, of course, true that a perfect stand can be obtained more easily by thick planting with future trimmings; l also that the products will be more uniform in shape and size if thinning l is praeticed, thus giving them equal space 1t is possible for gardeners so 1 thoroughly to prepare the seedbed that l 1t will be possible to seed only thick
 enough to insure good stand without the necessity of much thinning. Some | crops which are most susceptible to insect troubles should be planted thicker;- cucunbers, squashes and mel | by hand or with garden seed drill,
 either method permitting of drill seed | ing or hill seeding.
 When the hand method is employed, i four distinct operations are invo1ved First, making the drills; second, drop ping the seed; third, covering; fourth,
 firming. The drills may be made with
 a marker which makes three or four l drills at a time or with the end of a l hoe handle drawn along a line stretch | ed in the desired direction. For peas or beans where it is necessary to seed l deeper a drill may be made wit ha hoe
 or blow attachment of a hand wheel
 hoe.
 After the seed is dropped, usually by rolling a pinch of seed between the
 thumb and first two fingers, it is cov-
 cred with a rake or in case of deep
 planting with hoe, whee1-hoe or plew, The soil is firmed over the seed
 bed by the use of the feet, the back of 5 a hoe or garden roller. In hiH plant ing it is possible to make depressions I proper distances with the hoe, have the
 seed dropped, covered and firmed with
 the same implement The common seed
 drills on the market which can be pur- chased for a few dollars will seed more accurately than 1t can be done by hand and much more quickly as 1t does the four operations at one time. Many o1
 the drills plant only one row at a time
 and mark the location of the next row
 HAMPDEN COW MAKES NEM