CEREAL CULTIVATION GREAT PLAINS 367 



and 8 pecks in drilling were found to be the best rates of 

 seeding for that crop, using the variety Kherson. 



In the trials of only one year at the Kansas station, 

 the best rate of seeding was found to be 5 pecks for winter 

 wheat, 8 pecks for winter barley, and 10 pecks for oats 

 and spring barley. The humidity of the locality is above 

 the average for the Great Plains. 



395. Depth of seeding. The one essential thing in 

 depth of seeding is that the kernels shall reach moist 

 earth. It will therefore often be necessary, in this area, 

 to sow a little deeper than in the Eastern area. Also in 

 a dry season, deeper seeding is more desirable than in a 

 normal season. In Saskatchewan, it is considered im- 

 portant to force the seed down to moist earth even if it is 

 over 2 inches. 



In a trial at the Kansas station, seeding of winter wheat 

 at 2 to 2| inches gave the best results. At the North 

 Dakota station, the depths of seeding which appear to be 

 the best from experiments of one year only are : Spring 

 wheat, 2 J inches ; oats, 2 to 4 inches ; and barley, 3 inches. 

 In experiments of 8 years at the Indian Head, Saskatch- 

 ewan, Experiment Farm, spring wheat seeded 2 inches 

 deep averaged 2 bushels more yield to the acre than 

 where seeded 3 inches. 



396. Method of seeding. Drilling is always the best 

 method of seeding small grains, but in the Great Plains, 

 it is absolutely essential. It is impossible, because of the 

 uncertain depth of moisture, to put the seed into moist 

 earth with certainty and at a uniform depth by any 

 other method, unless the seed is sown like corn in listed 

 furrows. The latter, in fact, may be a good method in 

 the drier districts, and has already been tried. Drilling 

 also prevents winterkilling to a great degree. The drill 



