142 Transactions of the American Institute. 



son walking on tlie margin of the lot, as if there were long strips 

 of hind left without seed in the direction that the sower traveled; 

 but I question whether there M^ould not be more land left uusowed. 

 .1 object to choosing a strong wind to sow in, any way. It makes 

 it harder work, and if the ground, when plowed, was laid in 

 lands, say from east to west, and when ready to sow the wind 

 should blow from either of those quarters, in order to have the 

 advantage of that wind so as to spread wider at a cast, the tar- 

 gets would have to be placed north and south and sown in that 

 direction, consequently one would have to harrow across the lands 

 or wait until the lot is sown. I object to sowing from a basket or 

 pail, because the weight of the seed is at the side of the sower. 

 To balance himself he leans in the opposite direction, which deprives 

 him of a portion of his power to spread the seed, and it makes his 

 back ache. After forty years experience, I believe a better princi- 

 ple of broadcast sowing is to have an oblong box v/ith a hollow in 

 one side to fit the body; carry the box directly in front, fix it there 

 with two bands, one on each shoulder; then the seedsman can walk 

 upright and have both arms at liberty to use as required. When 

 entering the lot to sow the seed, he either knows or inquires which 

 way it needs to be harrowed, and commences to soav in that direc- 

 tion. Using both hands at the same time — that is, filling the left 

 hand at the same time that he empties his right hand, and vice 

 vema; and whether there is a perfect calm or a strong wind blow- 

 ing from north, south, east or west, if he does not try to cover too 

 wide a space, and has judgment enough to give the greater force to 

 that arm that has to deliver its seed in opposition to the wind, the 

 grain will always come up even. As to how wide can be sown at 

 a cast, depends much on the kind of grain or seed, as heavy seed 

 will spread easier than light. As to how many acres a man will 

 sow in a day, wi]l depend on the strength, dura])ility and perse- 

 verance of the sower, and the state the land is in to travel on, <fec. 

 A man that can sow fifty acres to grain in one day (say ten hours), 

 using only one hand for that purpose, the other being emplo3'ed in 

 driving a team, must have a hand capable of holding more at a 

 time than mine. 



SHRINKING OF WOOL. 



Mr. John W. Nimar, Springfield, Ohio. — For several years I have 

 taken a portion of my wool to the factory to be worked into full 

 cloth, satinet, flannel, and stocking 3'-arn. My wool is of good and 

 fine quality, washed on the sheep, free from coarse dirt and burrs; 



