76 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



small additional expense incured by the use of this machine 

 for covering wheat, barley, and some other grains. 



But the excelence of drills is principally to be found, in 

 the facility with which seeds can be buried which are only 

 proper to be planted or sown in rows, or in hills ; as, in 

 such cases, one Man with a drill, to be drawn either by 

 hand, or by a Horse, as the case may require, will perform 

 as much, in commiting seeds to the earth, as would be done 

 by six, eight, or ten Men, in the same length of time, with- 

 out the use of this implement ; end, at the same time, the 

 work done with the drill will be found much better execut- 

 ed, and with a great saving of seed. 



Drills, however, are only proper for grounds which are 

 clear of stones, and other impediments to the use of these 

 machines. 



For descriptions and drawings of the different kinds, in 

 use in Greatbritain, we refer the Reader to the Encyclope- 

 dias lately published in that Country, or to Editions of 

 either of them published here. 



DROUGHT. As a country becomes cleared of its tim- 

 ber, it becomes more liable to droughts ; and these will be 

 more or less severe according to the climate. That which 

 is naturally cool and moist, such as that of Greatbritain and 

 Ireland, will seldom, if ever, be affected by too much dry 

 weather; while that in which the Summers are hoter, and 

 of course the atmosphere dryer, will often suffer much on 

 this account. In most parts of Spain, the fields are parched 

 up by the middle of Summer; but before this the crops are 

 all harvested. In this Country, droughts are never so 

 severe, nor so universal; yet partial ones are often experi- 

 enced, much earlier, and long before the crops have come 

 to maturity. This is an evil; and all the Farmer can do, is 

 to make the best possible provision against it. 



Generally speaking, nothing is better calculated to ward 

 off the effects of droughts, than good cultivation, by 

 ploughing sufficiently deep, and effectually, and manuring 

 well Ground that is well mellowed, to a proper depth, 

 will stand a drought much better, than that which is 

 ploughed shallow and left in clods ; and that which is well 

 manured will retain more moisture than that which is poor. 

 Again, ground which is thus well prepared, and manured, 

 shoots forth its crop so rapidly, that the ground is soon 

 covered and shaded from the heat of the sun ; and, for this 

 reason, retains its moisture longer. The same may be ob- 

 served of mowing-lands. 



Gypsum is also an antidote to droughts; and, fortunate- 

 ly, it suits the soils best which are most affected in this 

 way. 



