OF THE SOWING OF SEED. 349 



of Gowrie, that the culture of white corn crops by the 

 drill, might be a beneficial mode of husbandry in that 

 valuable district, as it would be the means of extirpating 

 the growth of annual weeds, which are so destructive to 

 the spring crops in the Carse, particularly the beans, the 

 peas, and the oats sown early upon well frosted land, 

 which are often rendered not half a crop by the growth 

 of wild mustard. 



Mr Rennie of Oxwell Mains, in East Lothian, states, 

 in a recent communication, that he has entirely given up 

 the drill system, as he conceives it by no means necessary 

 for wheat sown in the autumn, and the spring-sown wheat, 

 when drilled, takes at least ten days longer than the broad- 

 cast in ripening, which is a great loss in so uncertain a 

 climate. The reason of its being so behind the broad- 

 cast is this; the hand-hoeing unavoidably cuts the plants, 

 which causes longer time in tillering, and the space ne- 

 cessary for the hoe, at least 12 inches, is so very broad 

 for wheat, that the wind makes it often straggle and fall 

 down, which keeps it from the influence of the sun, makes 

 the grain coarse, and not so plump. The additional ex- 

 pence of pulling the weeds with the hand, in the broad- 

 cast system, he thinks jdoes not exceed os. or 7s. the acre, 

 more than when drilled ; and when it is considered, that 

 the ripening takes place so much sooner, and that the 

 grain is of better quality, there is no comparison to be 

 drawn between the different modes of sowing. Wheat, 

 sown in autumn, requires little or no hand-weeding, the 

 frost having the effect of suppressing weeds. On the 

 other hand, Mr Hume of East Barns informs me, that he 

 finds the drill husbandry greatly preferable for white crops. 

 He has, this year, (an. 18;3), all his spring crops dnhed, 

 also some of his winter wheat, and in his opinion the 

 produce will be from two to three bolls per Scotch acre 

 better, than if they had been broad-cast, which is visible 



