32 



sider a saving- of seed to a small amount worthy of consid- 

 eration ; It is nevertheless as we have before said recom- 

 mended by that distinguished agriculturist De Domballe 

 or it would not perhaps otherwise have been worthy of con- 

 sideration. 



Section III. — Drilling, thinning, and trans'planting 

 where required. This method consists in drilling in the 

 seed in lines at the distance required, sowing a sufficiency 

 of seed to supply by the superabundant plants all deficien- 

 cies from the failure of vegetation. 



The first steps towards this important improvement in 

 the mode of sowing the beet seed consisted in tracing fur- 

 rows, with a harrow prepared for the purpose at equal dis- 

 tances followed by laborers equal in number to the furrows, 

 in these were dropped the seeds at a suitable distance from 

 each other. Then followed another harrow with the teeth 

 inverted which covered the seed. The advantage of this 

 method was very soon perceived, and at the same time its 

 imperfections, to remedy these, a number of tools were in- 

 vented. Among the best of these is undoubtedly Hill's 

 horse drill ; for besides the great saving of time and seed 

 and the regularity with which this is distributed, the labor 

 required for weeding, rolling, harrowing, and gathering, 

 becomes much easisr and cheaper. 



So decided a superiority, must necessarily introduce it 

 amongst intelligent farmers here, as well as in France and 

 England where -it is getting into general use, and proper- 

 ly appreciated ; with this drill, the seed is sown at any 

 given distance with perfect regularity, covered and rolled 

 at one operation : the distance between the drills is usually 

 2 feet 6 inches ; that between the plants one foot or more 

 according to the soil ; the distance between the rows (of 

 2 1-2 feet) is sufficient to admit the use of a Horse hoe. 



