181 



meated after passing through the loose mulch on the sur- 

 face. With the air and the moisture, through the medium 

 of heat and light, chemical action takes place and the 

 available fertility is the result; and so long as ample moist- 

 ure can be supplied from the storage below by that wonder- 

 ful phenomenon, capillary attraction, which never fails 

 to do its part, all necessary plant elements or fertility 

 are ever available to complete the big crop. 



Remember there are three requisites for the big and 

 sure results, a perfect physical condition of the soil, fertility 

 made available, and ample moisture stored below. 



KIND OF GRAIN DRILL. 



That the drill is by all means preferable in planting 

 all small grain, there is practically no denial. Especially 

 is it true in the more arid sections, but there are many 

 kinds of drills of the more common makes, as there are 

 three especially different methods of depositing the grain. 



In cut No. 17 we show practically the condition of the 

 soil after one of each. There is no question but what 

 many will criticise some of our ideas, but we do not draw 

 our conclusions from theory or from short and hasty con- 

 sideration, nor without careful comparative tests. The 

 disk drill is quite popular, its draft is light, but it does not 

 leave the grain in anything like an ideal condition; for 

 the soil is lifted and left loose over and around the kernel. 



Next to this is the press drill. Note the difference in 

 germination of the grain of the two. By packing the soil 

 onto the kernel with the press wheel you notice more 

 perfect rooting and the growth is considerably in advance 

 of the grain put in with the disk drill. The press drill 

 has its objections, especially is this true where the seed 

 is deposited in soil that has not been sub-packed, as was 

 the case from which we secured our illustration. 



