268 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria, [lo May, 1912. 



Rate of Seeding. 

 The amount of seed to he sown varies within very wide limits, and is 

 governed by several considerations. The amount of seed required varies 

 with — 



(i) Climate. — The lower the average rainfall of the district, the 

 less seed is required. The minimum is required in dry, 

 mallee districts. 



(2) Time of Solving. — Early sown wheat requires less seed than 



the same variety sown late. As the seeding progresses it is 

 well to gradually increase the amount sown, since late sown 

 wheat has much less opportunity to stool out and establish 

 itself before the winter .sets in than the early sown wheat. 



(3) Character of Seed Bed. — Early sowing on clean land requires 



the minimum. Land, foul with weeds, must, if it has to be 

 sown, be sown thickly to give the wheat an opportunity to 

 choke the weeds. 



(4) The Character of the wheat, its stooling capacity, the size of 



the grain, whether it is aii early or late maturing variety, 

 and its germinating capacity. Obviously all these influence 

 the amount of seed required. 



(5) TJie Use to which the wheat is put — whether for grain, hay, 



green fo^rage or ensilage. The minimum will be required in 

 the former casej the maximum in the latter. 



(6) Method of sowing— whether drilled or broadcasted. About 



20-25 per cent, more seed is required w-ith the broadcasted 



to give the same braird as the drill. 



With these reservations, it may be said that the average amount of seed 



for grain is 45-60 lbs., while for hay and forage 1-2 bushels may be used. 



For grain the amount sown may be as low as 30 lbs. in dry, mallee 



districts to 65-70 lbs., in moister districts. Generally speaking, sow early 



crops thin, and late crops thick; sow light laiid thicker than rich, heavy 



land ; and be sparing with good stooling ^'arieties, and correspondingly 



liberal with varieties of poor tillering capacity. 



Method of Sowing. 



Since the introduction and general use of superphosphates in the wheat- 

 growing areas of the State the old broadcaster has been superseded by 

 drills which sow seed and manure through the same hoes. 



The advantages of broadcasting are — (i) The small cost per acre; 

 (2) the large areas that may be sown in a day. 



Bearing in mind what has already been said regarding the necessity 

 for sowing seed quickly wdien once the " normal seeding period " arrives, 

 we may readily appreciate, even in this age of drills, the merits of broad- 

 casting ; for, should unfavorable weather conditions prevail at seed time, 

 the broadcaster may be useful in making the most of Avhatever intervals 

 of fine weather mav occur in an unusual seeding season. 



In a normal season, however, when seeding conditions are favorable, 

 the best place for the broadcaster is in the implement shed. The ad- 

 vantages possessed by the drill more than outweigh those of the broad- 

 ca.ster. With the drill seed and manure may be sown in the one operation. 

 This not onlv econimizes labour, but it also enables young plants to 

 i-apidlv find ihe superphosphate and make vigorous growth in the_ earlier 

 stages of its existence. Whatever weeds may lie between the drills are 

 not so fortunatelv situated as the voung wheat plants, and the latter are 



