84 THE FIRST BOOK OF FARMING 



board box or tin spice or baking-powder box, and 

 punch a small hole in the bottom near one end or 

 side. Through this the seeds can be sifted quite 

 evenly. 



For the larger operations of the farm and market 

 garden, hand and horse-power drills and broad- 

 casters are generally used, though some farmers 

 still plant large fields by hand. 



The grasses and clovers are generally broadcasted 

 by hand or machine, and are then lightly harrowed 

 and are generally rolled. 



The small grains (wheat, oats, etc.) are broad- 

 casted by many farmers, but drilling is considered 

 better. With the grain drill the seed is deposited at 

 a uniform depth and at regular intervals. In broad- 

 casting, some of the seeds are planted too deep, and 

 some too shallow, and others are left on the surface 

 of the soil. 



From experiment it has been found that there is 

 a loss of about one-fifth of the seed when broad- 

 casted as compared with drilling. 



As in the case of grass seed, the grains are gen- 

 erally rolled after sowing. 



Corn is planted by hand, or by hand- and horse- 

 corn-planters, which drop a certain number of seeds 

 at any required distance in the row. 



There are a number of seed drills made for plant- 

 ing vegetable seeds which are good machines. 



The main points to be considered in seed drills 

 or seed planting machines are : 



Simplicity and durability of structure. 



