SOWING OF WHEAT. 165 



it will grow on a light soil far better in a damp climate 

 than in a dry one. 



543. The soil must of course be such as to furnish the 

 plant with the mineral substances it requires. Lime, for 

 example, in small quantities, is essential to good wheat 

 land, and no soil, however good it may be in other 

 respects, and however favorable the climate, will produce 

 firgt rate crops of wheat, unless it contain a proper 

 proportion of lime. 



544. Though wheat, like most other plants, thrives best 

 on a thoroughly tilled soil, deep ploughing is less impor 

 tant in its cultivation than in that of Indian corn, since 

 its roots do not strike down so deep, while from the season 

 of its growth it is not so liable to suffer from droughts. 

 But thorough cultivation is requisite that the land may 

 be as clean as possible, that is, perfectly free from weeds 

 and noxious plants at the time of sowing. 



545. The land having been 

 well manured, ploughed and 

 harrowed, wheat may be sown 

 broadcast by hand or by a 

 broadcast so wing machine, (Fig. 

 28,) and harrowed in, or it may 



be sown in drills by a machine Fig. 28. 



admirably adapted to this purpose. 



546. Both methods have their advantages, but the drill 

 sowing is the more economical of the two, as it saves seed 

 by its more uniform distribution. Wheat properly drilled 

 in is less liable to be thrown out by the frost and killed. 

 The yield per acre is also larger, particularly if care be 

 taken to stir the ground and keep out weeds between the 

 drills during the growth of the plant. 



