84 THE CEREALS IN AMERICA 



in order that all may be covered. A summary of the work 

 of eight stations, mostly in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, 

 aggregating twenty years' results, shows that in some instances 

 four inches was at least as good as shallower depth, but in most 

 instances one to three inches gave the best results, and indicates 

 that usually it is not safe to go beyond these extremes. 



131. Drilling Compared with Broadcasting. — Stations of 

 thirteen States have made experiments to compare drilling 

 wheat with broadcasting it. The number of years' trial at 

 a station varied from one to nine years and aggregate thirty- 

 three years. Only two stations (Iowa and South Carolina) report, 

 as the result of one year's trial, in favor of broadcasting. While 

 in individual years broadcasting has produced the best results, 

 at other stations the average of two or more years was in favor 

 of drilling whether for fall or spring seeding. For fall seeding, 

 the Ohio Station found as the result of nine years' trial two 

 bushels in favor of drilling; Indiana in four years' trial reports 

 eight bushels gain, and Kentucky in three years' trial reports 

 four bushels gain. For spring seeding, Minnesota in three 

 years' trial reports two bushels gain; North Dakota in two 

 years' trial reports five bushels gain, and South Dakota in two 

 years' trial reports two bushels gain. While these differences 

 are not great, they generally amply pay for any extra cost 

 of drilling, which is almost the universal practice for fall 

 seeding. 



A number of reasons may be given for this practice, not 

 all of which, however, will apply in any given locality. The 

 wheat is more uniformly distributed and covered and is sown 

 at a more even depth. Quick germination is insured by having 

 the seed in moist soil. It is believed also to be less easily winter 

 killed either by freezing or heaving. The drill makes little 

 furrows in which the snow lodges and is prevented from being 

 blown away. It has been abundantly proved that the amount 

 of snow held in the furrows is sufficient to modify the temperature 



