332 Sowing Broad-cast. 



to conduct it properly in windy weather ; that the seed is 

 placed at unequal depths ; that a very large proportion of 

 it is either left but thinly covered, or is sunk too deep in the 

 soil ; that a heavy loss must be sustained, from the quantity 

 that is exposed to the attacks of birds, and to the injury that 

 may be sustained from great droughts, or severe frosts ; 

 and that unless skilfully done, a part of the ground may re- 

 main unoccupied. 



Notwithstanding these objections, the broad-cast system 

 has continued to prevail in various districts, not only on ac- 

 count of its simplicity, and its requiring less expensive ma- 

 chinery, but where the climate is unfavourable, or the sea- 

 sons unusually backward, from the expedition with which it 

 is executed, and the greater certainty of effecting the ob- 

 ject in any season ("). Indeed, where the climate is un- 

 favourable, any additional time and labour required, more 

 especially during the seed process, are very important con- 

 siderations to farmers. Their establishment of men and 

 horses, (the heaviest of the charges on agriculture), is econo- 

 mically proportioned to the work of the whole circle of the 

 year; and, independently of all other considerations, the 

 sowing by the drill, requires more time than surface-sowing. 



Instead of sowing broad-cast by the hand, machines for 

 that purpose have been invented. By them, the corn is de- 

 livered with great regularity, from a horizontal trough, ten 

 feet in length, by brushes, upon a turning axle, worked by 

 the rotation of the wheel of the machine. The most im- 

 proved kind has two wheels, and is drawn by a mule, or 

 light horse, in shafts. A great saving of seed, and equable 

 sowing, result from the use of this implement ( I0 ). Such 

 machines are likely to be particularly useful for clover, and 

 other small seeds, which are distributed, by the hand, with 

 more difficulty. 



After the seed has been deposited on the surface, there 

 are two modes of covering it : 1. By the harrow ; and 2. 

 By the plough. 



1. Harrows are of great use, not only for pulverising the 

 soil, and clearing it of weeds, but also for covering the seed 

 after it has been sown on the surface. Of late, the form of 

 this implement has been greatly improved. Still, however, 

 the seed cannot be so advantageously deposited as under 

 the drill system. 



2. In the greater part of England, where drilling does not 

 prevail, the seed is not harrowed but ploughed in, or covered 

 by a furrow. This is often done on light soils, by a light 



