Quantity of Seed. 327 



cient quantity of seed, to ensure a full crop from the first 

 growth, and not to depend upon tillering, or planting out. 

 With a full quantity of seed, the crop grows, and ripens 

 equally, and, unless in very unfavourable seasons, the grain 

 is uniformly good. Barley, being generally sown in the dry 

 seasons of the year, the plants are often stunted in their 

 growth, and unable to send out off-sets to stock the soil. 

 The plant may afterwards stool or tiller at a later period ; 

 but these young shoots, cannot be expected to arrive at 

 maturity, or if their ripening is waited for, there is a great 

 risk of losing the first, or earlier growth of the crop ( 85 ). 



Oats. The quantity of seed for a crop of oats, is gene- 

 rally from four to five Winchester bushels per statute acre ; 

 though in Devonshire they go as far as six bushels, and in 

 Yorkshire even eight ( 8<5 ). The amount must depend upon 

 the richness of the soil, and the variety that is cultivated. 

 The potatoe-oats, not having any tail-oat, like the ordinary 

 sorts, and tillering well, require much less seed, in point of 

 measure, than the other sorts ; and may be safely trusted, 

 when the land is equally well cultivated, with as small a 

 quantity of seed as barley, namely, from two and a half to 

 four bushels ( 87 ). It is, however, to be observed, that as 

 oats, in general, are cultivated on weak and inferior soils, 

 and in cold climates, the quantity of seed should be increas- 

 ed in proportion as these circumstances operate. 



Beans. In the culture of beans, different quantities of 

 seed are used in England and Scotland. In the former, 

 three bushels per acre are considered to be a sufficient quan- 

 tity, if drilled, and four, when broad-cast ; but in Scotland, 

 four bushels are required when the beans are sown in drills, 

 and five bushels when sown broad-cast. Perhaps this may be 

 partly owing to the difference of climate, beans being sown 

 early, and exposed to much severity of weather. Besides, 

 it is maintained in Scotland, that unless the rows of beans 

 close effectually over the land, weeds will unavoidably grow, 

 and flourish, after the cleansing process is finished. The 

 land will thence become foul, so as to defeat the very object 

 of the drill husbandry, the crop will be proportionably in- 

 jured, by being robbed of its nourishment, and the soil will 

 be left in a wretched condition, compared to that in which 

 it ought to have been placed ( 88 ). 



Pease. When drilled, four bushels of seed are considered 

 to be sufficient, but when sown broad-cast, from four to five 

 bushels are supposed to be necessary. Much, however, must 

 depend upon the size of the pea, the luxuriance of its growth, 



