THIN AND THICK SOWING. 



67 



entirely upon circumstances, such as the time of sowing, and 

 the manner of sowing. The poorer the land, the greater nrist 

 be the quantity of seed. On a poor gravelly soil, where 

 manure is not attainable, 10 pecks drilled at from 6 to 8 

 inches, will be least quantity required ; wherever in such 

 soils this quantity is at all sensibly decreased, in like pro- 

 portion both quality and quantity of the grain is decreased 

 also. If 2^ bushels are used broadcast, 2 bushels will be 

 equivalent if drilled, and 5 pecks if dibbled, The follow- 

 ing table, as given by Mr. Birch Wolfe in the Journal of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society, as to the " proper quantity 

 of seed for wheat," will appropriately close this department 

 of our subject. The soil was heavy clay, in good heart ; 

 the seed used was of the Spalding variety. The produce 

 from each plot was very nearly the same ; the dibbled failed 

 most in plant, but tillered well, and yielded rather more 

 than the rest ; but in proportion as the plant was thin, so 

 was the grain coarse and light. Mr. Wolfe has come to 

 the conclusion, that in soils similar to his own, and taking 

 the average of seasons and all other circumstances into ac- 

 count, there is great risk of loss in drilling land at a greater 

 distance than 8 inches, and with a less quantity of seed 

 than 6 pecks per acre. The following is the table given 

 by Mr. Wolfe : 



