THE OLD AND THE NEW. 



33 



and full returns. I usually, after setting my drill as I think 

 from the looks of the seed is about right, put a quarter or 

 half pound of seed into the hopper, and sow this. Then 

 I make a careful estimate of the ground gone over, and of 

 the rate per acre that the seed was sown, and change the 

 discharge hole accordingly. Experience and good judg- 

 ment will soon teach you how to do this thing just right. 



It is quite likely that the rows, as the sower proceeds 

 in his task, begin to get somewhat crooked. In such a 

 case I invariably stretch the garden line once, and if the 

 patch is large, perhaps two or three times more, to guide 



Fig. 6. 



Mathew's Garden-Seku Drill. 



the drill and correct the deviations from the straight 

 course. 



All good garden seed drills are provided with a small 

 roller back of the seed discharge tube. This firms the 

 ground over the seed sufficiently for all purposes. At least 

 I have never had to complain about good seed failing to 

 germinate promptly: so I consider all additional efforts 

 toward firming the soil entirely superfluous. 



Seed may also be sown without the use of a seed drill. 

 In that case I would mark out rows with an ordinary garden 

 marker, twelve inches apart and one inch deep; then 

 3 



