DIRECT SOWING. 67 



by one or more blows with the instrument, or by 

 pressure with the foot. In some cases the operation 

 may be done without any instrument at all, by removing 

 a small quantity of the surface soil with the foot, insert- 

 ing the seed, replacing the previously removed earth and 

 pressing it down. 



The method is only admissible on soils which are not 

 subject to a heavy growth of weeds, which would pro- 

 bably smother the young seedlings ; moderately sized 

 stones or gravel do not interfere with the application of 

 the method. 



d. Sowing in Trenches, or Pits. 



In the methods so far described the seed-bed is, 

 generally, on the same level as the surrounding ground. 

 In the case of trench and pit sowing it is placed below 

 the general surface of the ground, at the bottom of a 

 trench or pit, in which water may collect. The general 

 arrangement of the trenches or pits is the same as in the 

 case of strips or patches respectively. Trenches must 

 be level, to prevent their becoming water-channels. 

 For the same reason they should be here and there 

 interrupted. 



The width of the trenches will, as a rule, not exceed 

 two feet at the bottom ; the depth depends on the requi- 

 site amount of water. The distance between the ditches 

 or pits depends on the same considerations as in strip 

 and patch sowings. 



The trenches may be made with the spade, hoe or 

 pick, or partly with the plough and the rest with those 

 tools. The surface soil is kept apart and placed at 



F 2 



