485 



WIDE DRILLmG AND TILLING WHEAT xVND BAELEY. 



In the autnraii of 1868 the Cirencester (England) Chamber of Agricnl- 

 ture inaugurated a comparative trial between two or more methods of 

 "wheat culture. It was resolved to omit, in drilling, every alternate row, 

 leaving a space of 18 inches between the rows ; to omit two drills and 

 leave two, leaving a space of 27 inches between double row\s 9 inches 

 apart ; to omit two drills and leave two, forking the interspaces during the 

 summer ; and to attempt the cultivation of carrots or potatoes between 

 the rows of wheat; and to try the effect of firmly pressing the land 

 with the foot in winter and spring. In carrying out these experiments 

 the wheat was in some cases sown with the drill in the usual maimer, 

 and the surplus obliterated by the hand-hoe soon after the blades ap- 

 peared above the ground. In other cases the drill was set so as to 

 deposit the seed at the required width. The object of these experi- 

 ments was to show how far a free admission of air and light influences 

 the growth of the wheat plant ; how far interculture is beneficial or the 

 reverse, and the efiect of thin seeding. The results were as follows: 



Plot with alternate rows obliterated and spaces forked produced at the 

 rate of 29.6 bushels per acre ; alternate rows obliterated anfl the re- 

 maining rows singled into tufts or bunches, 22.8 bushels; ordinary 

 wheat for comparison, 30.8 bushels ; three rows left and three hoed out, 

 spaces forked, 25.2 bushels; alternate rows obliterated, spaces not 

 forked, 28.4 bushels; alternate rows obliterated, remaining rows tufted, 

 24.4 bushels ; three rows left and three obliterated, not forked, 26.8 

 bushels ; alternate rows obliterated, spaces not forked, 28.4 bushels ; 

 three rows left and three hoed out, spaces forked, 20.4 bushels ; ordinary 

 wheat 29.2 bushels ; three rows left and three hoed out, sjiaces forked, 

 23.2 bushels ; alternate rows obliterated, spaces forked, 26 bushels. 



In no case was the crop so good as on the plots cultivated in the 

 usual w^ay. Plots in which the alternate rows were obliterated were so 

 nearly equal to those of ordinary wheat, that, since half the seed 

 might have been saved b}^ sowing with a wide drill, the advantage is 

 pretty equal in both methods. The forked wheat was generally inferior 

 to the corresponding unforked. Since 25 and 26 bushels per acre w^ere 

 obtained from half the land under crop in cases of plots 4 and 7, the 

 question W'hether the interspaces would bear as large a crop of wheat 

 the succeeding year is worthy of attention. 



Experiments made upon barley at the Eoyal Agricultural College 

 Farm, in 1868, during the same season, point to a clear advantage from 

 wide drilling and interculture. Average product of three ordinary j)lots 

 31.6 bushels to the acre ; average results of two plots, alternate rows ob- 

 literated, 40.7 bushels; average results of two plots, alternate rows 

 obliterated, spaces forked, 42, 7 bushels. 



In 1869 the results of Earl Eathm\st's experiments were as follows: 

 Plot with two rows of wheat obliterated and two left, carrots sown be- 

 tween, forked, in^oduced per acre, 1,700 j)ounds of grain, 2,560 pounds 

 of straw, 240 pounds of cavings, and 360 pounds of chaff. Plot with 

 two row^s obliterated and two left, forked April 9 and June 7, produced 

 per acre, 1,820 pounds of grain, 2,720 pounds of straw, 230 pounds of 

 cavings, and 320 pounds of chaft'. Plot with two rows obliterated and 

 two left, 1,770 pounds of grain, 2,810 pounds of straw, 230 pounds of 

 cavings, and 300 pounds chaft". Plot with ordinary treatment, 1,910 

 j)Ounds of grain, 2,645 pounds of straw, 180 pounds of cavings, and 300 

 pounds chaff. 



At the College Farm in 1869, the average of three unmanured and 



