PLANTING 33 



the kernels for one hill in each hole. Another advantage of 

 this planter is the fact that the hole, being so large, accom- 

 modates kernels of varying sizes. This planter is the best 

 for poorly graded seed; but in. our opinion poorly graded 

 seed has no place in good farming. 



Cumulative Edge Drop: The edge drop planter is a later 

 invention than the hill drop and is very popular in the Corn 

 Belt, since by using uniformly graded seed it will plant with 

 a greater degree of accuracy than the older style hill drop. 

 This style of planter has a number of smaller holes around the 

 outside edge of the plate. Each hole or slot holds just one 

 grain which is admitted on edge. The plate, revolving almost 

 continually, makes a quarter of one revolution for each hill 

 planted. When the proper number of kernels have been 

 counted out they are checked off by the check wire. Since 

 graded corn varies less in thickness than in any other dimen- 

 sion, it can easily be seen that the edge drop planter should 

 plant graded corn with a higher degree of accuracy than the 

 hill drop planter, or the cumulative drop planter, which 

 take the kernel flat. 



We have used several different makes of cumulative edge 

 drop planters on our farms during the last fifteen years. 

 Until recently the weak point seemed to be in the dog which 

 causes the plate to turn exactly one-quarter revolution while 

 the planter is moving from one wire link to another. This 

 defect has been overcome and today an edge drop planter 

 with graded corn, in the hands of an intelligent driver, is 

 almost as dependable as a gang plow. 



Kernel Spaced Checking: A new method of planting corn 

 is known as kernel spaced checking. This method requires 

 a special planter which has been gotten out in the last few 

 years. In kernel spaced checking the kernels are placed at 

 .the corners of a five-inch square or triangle instead of being 

 bunched, as in other methods. Since each stalk stands singly 



