154 MECHANICS. 



openings between them and the hopper are opened and 

 closed at pleasure by a slidmg bottom, with a single 

 movement of the hand. This sliding bottom is shown in 

 fig. 167, and forms hoppers with sloping sides, down 

 which the grain passes freely. 



The ends of the tubes, which are shod with steel, are 

 made to pass any desired depth into the mellowed soil, 

 and depositing the seed, it is immediately covered by the 

 falling earth, as the drill passes. This drill is furnished 

 with an attachment for sowing ])laster, guano, or any 

 other concentrated manure, and also with a grass-seed 

 sower. 



A great improvement has been made in the mode al- 

 ready described, of discharging tlie seed ; fonnerly, seed- 

 drills generally were furnished with a revolving cylinder, 

 in tlie surface of which small cavities were made, for car- 

 rying off ^d dropping measured portions of the grain ; 

 these often broke or crushed the seed, and w^ere liable to 

 derangement. Others were furnished with circular, re- 

 volving brushes, for pressing the seed through holes in 

 the bottom of the hopper ; but this contrivance was im- 

 perfect) and the brushes were liable to wear out. In the 

 discharging apparatus of the drill just described, the 

 seeds are never crushed, and the whole being substantially 

 made of cast-iron, it may be run a lifetime. The best 

 grain drills are sold for $80 or $90. 



setmoub's broadcast soweb 



is an excellent machine for sowing plaster, ashes, guano, 

 salt, or any other concentrated fertilizer, as well as com- 

 mon grain and grass seed. The disagreeable, and even 

 dangerous, as well as heavy and laborious work of sow- 

 ing these manures by hand renders such a machine de- 

 sirable on every farm. It is drawn by one horse, sows 



