206 



3d. That they are of equal depth. 



4th. That they are laid quite flat, or nearly so. 



5th. That the soil is plowed deep. 



American plows are generally made with wooden beams ; some are 

 now made with cast iron beams. European plows are almost universally 

 made of wrought iron, and this material is in many ways much pref- 

 erable to wood. 



VARIOUS METHODS OF SOWING "WHEAT. 



There are a great many ways of sowing wheat, which vary according 

 to the customs of the locality and the nature of the soil. 



Dibbling, or planting the seed in holes made by a small stick, has 

 been extensively practiced in England, where excellent crops have been 

 raised in this manner. By this mode a considerable saving in seed was 

 effected, but it required a good deal of labor, and on account of this it 

 has been discontinued even in England, and therefore cannot be attemp- 

 ted in this country ; dibbling machines are sometimes used. Ridging 

 has been the old method of sowing wheat, and this mode has been 

 used for ages in every country in Europe. The ridges were made of 

 various widths, according to the fancy of the farmer; sometimes they 

 were covered with clay from the furrows, and sometimes the seed was 

 sown before the ridges were made, and the seed covered by plowing the 

 soil into ridges. This plan had one good feature, the wheat was re- 

 lieved from stagnant water, by the furrows or drains which lay between 

 eacb ridge. 



Eibbing, or sowing wheat in small drills opened by a very small 

 plow, superseded the ridge system, and by this method excellent crops 

 have been raised. The drills are formed by a one horse plow, at about 

 ten inches asunder and three or four inches deep ; Avhen the drills are 

 ready, the seed .is sown broadcast, a certain number of drills to each 

 round, and then covered with the harrow. If a field has been properly 

 ribbed, the seed will come up in perfect drills, and if the head lands have 

 been properly managed, the crop will have a beautiful appearance ; good 

 crops are raised by this method. 



Drill machines of various kinds are now used for sowing wheat, and 

 they are very useful implements; a good deal of skill is required to 

 guide them properly, and nothing looks worse than the serpentine track 

 of a badly managed wheat drill. The horse or horses which draw it 



