142 THE PRINCIPLES OF 



successful growth of crops greatly depends upon the period 

 at which they are planted, and the season for sowing again 

 depends upon soil, climate, and the variety it is intended to 

 cultivate. Thus we have autumn and spring wheats, late 

 and early potatoes, late and early trifolium, and it would 

 probably be difficult to name any crop which does not boast 

 of varieties suitable for sowing at different seasons of the 

 year. So also with regard to methods of sowing. Much 

 may be said upon the relative merits of drilling, broadcasting, 

 dibbling, ploughing in wide and narrow intervals, and the 

 proper depth at which seed should be deposited. 



Quantity of seed is a topic on which volumes have been 

 written, quite an acrimonious discussion having been waged 

 between " thick " seeders and " thin " seeders. Some have 

 gone so far as to consider one or two quarts of wheat enough 

 to seed an acre, while others have held that three or four 

 bushels is not too much. The quantity of seed is a very 

 important matter ; it varies with circumstances. Upon tho 

 subject of the quantity of seed alone a capital pamphlet 

 full of valuable matter might be written, so that here again 

 we have food for sound agricultural teaching. 



The fertilizers to be employed is another subject sufficiently 

 important to merit a separate chapter to its consideration. 



The after-cultivation of the crops is an important matter 

 whether as regards root crops or corn. Operations such 

 as horse and hand-hoeing, rolling and harrowing, top-dressing, 

 and guarding against insect attacks are best considered under 

 this heading. 



Securing or harvesting. The subject of ripening or matur- 

 ation, and the best stage at which to cut, or to store, or feed 

 off each crop, is considered in this section of the syllabus, 

 also the best methods of harvesting, which leads the teacher 

 to consider the respective merits of self-binders, reapers, 

 scythes, and sickles for cutting the corn, the management 



