Quantity of Seed. 325 



from the roots, a large proportion of seed will be necessary, 

 in order to secure such abundant crops, as lands of this de- 

 scription are capable of supporting. But where such lands 

 are well prepared, rendered friable by a summer fallow, and 

 in high condition, a small quantity of seed is sufficient; for 

 though the crop may appear thin during the winter, the 

 seedling plants have time and vigour enough to fill up the 

 field, by means of suckers, or lateral plants, which branch 

 out from the principal root, and produce a full crop in au- 

 tumn ( 78 ). 



3. The next point for consideration, is, the Season when 

 the Seed is sown ; for it is evident, that seed sown early, takes 

 deeper root, and has more time to branch out additional 

 shoots, than that which is late sown. Hence a less quanti- 

 ty is sufficient. Indeed, with late sowing, the progress of 

 the crop may be retarded by dry and hot weather, unless a 

 large quantity of seed be employed, so as to afford protec- 

 tion to the soil from the mischiefs of evaporation, by the 

 plants growing closely together. It seems to be a judicious 

 rule, on soils of a medium quality, where wheat is sown 

 broad-cast, to use about two bushels and a half per acre, to- 

 wards the latter end of September, and to add a gallon of 

 seed for every fortnight afterwards ( 79 ). 



4. The state of the Weather, when the Seed is put into the 

 ground, must likewise be considered ; for where the season 

 is very dry, and where there is a small proportion of mois- 

 ture in the soil, more of the seed may fail to vegetate, than 

 where the contrary is the case. Hence a larger quantity is 

 required ; and hence the propriety, not only of a larger 

 quantity of seed, but the practice of steeping, and of putting 

 in the seed in such dry seasons, immediately after the 

 plough ( 8o ). 



5. The manner in which the Operation of Sowing is carried 

 on, it is obvious, must make some difference in the quantity 

 sown. Where the broad-cast system is adopted, a larger 

 quantity of seed is required, than where the grains are de- 

 posited, with equality, and exactness, only on certain portions 

 of the land, as is the case in the drill and dibbling methods. 

 Where the grain is scattered over the whole surface of the 

 soil, in some measure at random, it is exposed to the de- 

 predation of birds, and some of the seeds may not be placed 

 in a situation favourable to vegetation. At the same time, 

 under the drill system, the saving of seed cannot be carried 

 to any great extent, without the risk of disappointment ( 8I ), 

 though it may in dibbling. 



