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practice of the country, represents in the total a heavy 

 national loss. But this is far from being the only bad 

 result that arises from inefficient sowing ; for, after the 

 ill-effects produced by bad seed, there are no influences 

 more active for evil, during the growth of a crop, than 

 those which result from thick-sowing. In the crowd of 

 plants produced, each struggling for mastery over the 

 other, we have a most productive source of injury. Each 

 plant is wasting its energies in the attempt to secure the 

 means of existence, and in the endeavour to resist the 

 ill-effect produced by the close proximity of its neighbour 

 energies which ought to be directed to meet its wants 

 during a healthy progressive development. At first sight 

 it would appear that the right practice in sowing is to 

 place each seed in the position to produce the maximum 

 result, equi-distant from each other, so that each may 

 get its full share of soil, air, and light ; but there are other 

 considerations to be taken into account, viz., the weeding 

 and tillage of the crop during its growth operations which 

 can only be performed at an economical rate when the 

 crop is cultivated in lines, but the distance can readily be 

 adjusted, and the seed so sown in the lines as to secure 

 each plant in the position to produce the largest result 

 with the least expenditure of field labour in its cultivation. 

 Broadcasting seed is only justifiable under very peculiar 

 circumstances ; as, a hasty season, scarcity of labour, 

 damp soil, an uneven surface, or a surface covered by 

 rock, trees, and other impediments. In broadcast sowing, 

 the seed is placed irregularly in the soil, and there is 

 always a considerable waste from seed being left uncovered, 

 or by being covered too deeply ; hence, to provide against 

 a deficiency of plant from this cause, it is necessary to 

 sow a little more seed than would otherwise be needed. 



