300 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



closely followed by machines that can be equipped with seeding attach- 

 ments. Broadcast, knapsack and wheelbarrow seeders come last. 



The drills have one advantage over seeders in that usually a lesser 

 amount of seed per acre is necessary. 



Planting in rows. This practice is not followed extensively in this 

 country, although a few farmers in Kansas have fields so planted. In 

 some localities it has been found desirable to double-row, leaving two 

 holes of the grain drill open and stopping up 3 or 4. The double rows 

 will then be 8 inches apart (disks are spaced 8 inches), while the space 

 left for cultivating will be 32 or 40 inches apart. 



Cultivators are good for keeping down the weeds, which are trouble- 

 some the first year. A spring-tooth harrow or weeder will do if a few 

 teeth are removed where the rows come. (See "Seeders," in index.) 



FIG. 237. Spike-tooth disk, or alfalfa renovator. 

 CULTIVATION. 



Disk Harrows. 



In the spring before the plants are very high the regular disk is often 

 used as an alfalfa cultivator. The gangs are set straight, or nearly so, 

 without any additional weight being added to the pans. If it turns off 

 dry after such a cultivation more harm than good results. This machine 

 is seldom used in this way at the present time. 



Alfalfa Renovators. 



Porcupine harrows is another name. The machine resembles a disk 

 harrow, the difference being that spikes radiate from the center instead 

 of having a full blade. It was about the first alfalfa cultivating machine 

 brought out, and was in answer to a demand for a machine that would 

 destroy the weeds and loosen up the surface. 



