AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 495 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Brief Notes on Farm Crops, with Table of Quantities of Seed required per 

 Acre. Crop estimated by its Money Value, and by its Capacity to support 

 Animal Life. Table of average Product of various Farm Crops, and of 

 their chemical Constituents. Remarks explanatory of the Table. 



BRIEF NOTES ON FARM CROPS. 

 QUANTITY OF SEED. 



THE quantity of seed which it may be desirable or expedient 

 to sow upon an acre varies materially with the particular kind, 

 the state of the land, or the period of the season at which it is 

 sown. The relative size of the seeds, say the number they 

 will count to the peck, with the mode, of plant-growth, as 

 branching or otherwise, allowing a little for increased risk of 

 loss in small seeds, generally determines the first point. 



Of the grains, buckwheat is usually sown thinnest, and 

 needs to be varied only as on poor or rich land ; but, contrary 

 to the general rule with other grain, it should be sown thicker 

 on rich land than poor, for the reason that it will otherwise 

 branch considerably, and be difficult to cradle without loss ; 

 while, being more thinly sown on poor land, it will still yield 

 as much as the soil is capable of producing. Winter grain 

 sown early, or at least seasonably, may be sown thinner on 

 rich land than on poor, because on the former it will grow and 

 branch vigorously, and it is plain that one bushel of seed, giv- 

 ing two ears from a plant, is equal to two bushels giving only 

 one ear ; but on poor land the plant will not branch much, and 

 it is therefore desirable to increase somewhat the quantity of 

 seed sown. Very late-sown winter grain, and all spring-sown 

 grains, often lack opportunity to branch and strengthen before 

 they are driven up to seed by the prompt warmth of the open- 

 ing spring, and on this account they should be sown more 

 thickly than might otherwise be necessary, due allowance, 

 however, being still made for the different condition of the 

 land on which they may be sown. 



