FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 351 



It is recommended to be sown over turnips, not only for 

 the purpose of manuring the ground, but for keeping off 

 insects. For this purpose, let it be finely pulverized and 

 sown in the morning while the dew is on, and let it be in 

 moderate quantity, lest it should injure the young plants, to 

 which it will adhere and repel the insects. 

 See MANURES. 



SOWING. There are three methods of commiting seeds 

 to the ground. 



1. In hills, which is usually called planting. 



2. In drills, or continued rows, 



3. In the broadcast method, or a cast of the hand. 

 For making seeds vegetate more readily, see SEEDS. 



By the drill-method of sowing, nearly one-half of the seed 

 requisite for sowing may be saved ; which, with regard to 

 wheat, particularly, is a matter of some consequence. 

 See DRILL, 



For the proper time of commiting each kind of seed to 

 the ground, and the quantity to be sown of each, see the ar- 

 ticles of which the seeds are to be sowed. 



A general rule which prevails, in regard to sowing seeds, 

 is, that the largest and most full-grown be sown. It is said 

 that small seeds produce small stalks and small seeds, and 

 large seeds the contrary. This, it is believed, is a matter 

 we'll worth attending to, particularly as it respects the differ- 

 ent kinds of grain which are not wholly naturalized to our 

 climate or to our soil. 



Sowing too early in the Spring may be as injurious as 

 sowing too late; for, if the ground be not well pulverized, 

 and sufficiently warmed, before sowing, the seeds will come 

 up slowly, and be stunted in their growth. 



M. Duhamel found, by experiments, that few seeds will 

 come up, if buried more than nine inches in the soil ; that 

 some will rise very well at the depth of six inches; and, 

 that others again will not rise if buried two inches. Those 

 seeds which, in vegetating, are thrown out of the ground, 

 such as beans, Sec. ought to be buried lightly; and, in gen- 

 eral, it may be observed, that very few seeds require to be 

 deeply buried. In light soils, they should be buried deeper 

 than in stiff and cold ones. When the ground is rolled, 

 alter sowing, seeds will come up with a lighter covering of 

 earth, than where this is not done. 



Much depends on having the seeds sowed as evenly as 

 possible 5 and lor this purpose they ought to be sowed 

 when the weather is not windy, particularly those which 

 are light or easily wafted away. In sowing some seeds, it 

 is advisable to go over the ground twice j sowing one-half 



