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THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



143 



Drilling vs. Broadcast Sowing. 



We have heard the question often asked, 

 whether there would be any advantage in sow- 

 ing spring grains with the drill, over the old 

 plan of sowing them broadcast. We have pub- 

 lished two communications asking information 

 on the subject. We find the following article 

 in the Country Gentleman, which is directly to 

 the point : 



Having noticed a number of different opin- 

 ions in regard to drilling and broadcasting, I 

 am willing to give my opinion on this subject. 

 I purchased, in company with a neighbor, a drill 

 of J. M. Harvey & Son's manufacture, Amster- 

 dam, N. Y. (J. P. Ross' patent.) In the spring 

 of 1855, the first sowing was a piece of spring 

 wheat. Not knowing anything about the drill- 

 ing system, I sowed part with the drill and part 

 broadcast in the same field and on the same 

 day. That put in with a drill was more than 

 a quarter better than that sown broadcast, both 

 in straw and grain. I tried my oats in the 

 same manner; they were also better where they 

 were drilled. I have sowed all my grain since 

 with the drill, being satisfied that it is the only 

 proper method of putting grain into the ground. 

 My neighbor, in sowing his buckwheat, had 

 part sown with the drill and part broadcast, 

 and when harvested, the drilled was about half 

 better ; it was all well filled, while the broad- 

 cast was hardly filled — both put. in the same 

 day and In the same field. 



I think it is better on other accounts than 

 broadcasting. It saves a quarter of the seed ; 

 besides it cultivates the land, and leaves it in 

 good condition for the crops, better than can be 

 done with the harrow. The grain is all put in 

 at an even depth in the soil, and I am satisfied 

 that it is a paying machine. 



I also have a thresher and mower, and I 

 think they are good machines ; but my drill 

 pays me the most of any. It takes less time 

 and seed, and betters the crop, and in dry sea- 

 sons they are indispensable. Knowing what I 

 do abeut the drill, 1 think farmers cannot afford 

 to sow broadcast if they can obtain a drill. I 

 would like to have others give their experience 

 on the same subject. Saratoga Fakmek. 



-••»>■ 



B@,The Spring Exhibition of the Alton 

 Horticultural Society will take place at the 

 Hall of the Mutual Insurance Building, on 

 Wednesday, June 10th. A splendid ex- 

 hibition of fruits, flowers and vegetables is 

 anticipated. W^ hope a large number of 

 our citizens, as well as citizens from other 

 adjacent towns and the country will be 

 present. 



« -^ — 



J8^°The Low Chewans are great garden 



ers. Com. Perry's work says that they 



grow radishes to weigh fifty and si^^ty 



pounds. 



The Imported Stock. 



Our readers are aware that Messrs. Brown, 



Johns and Jacoby, as agents for the Illinois 

 Stock Importing Association, have been absent 

 several months in England, purchasing differ- 

 ent kinds. They have completed their pur- 

 chases and we may expect the gentlemen named, 

 and the stock purchased, to arrive in this city 

 in a few days. We find a very satisfactory com- 

 munication in relation to tSe stock purchased, 

 in a letter from London, published in the Mis- 

 souri Republican of the 3d instant. That letter 

 says:— ; 



I but speak the concurrent testimony of all 

 cowpetent judges, who have seen their herd, 

 that they are shipping, for the number, the best 

 and choicest lot of stock that has ever been ex- 

 ported from this country into the United States. 

 I am well aware that this is taking very high 

 ground, but I am perfectly willing to abide t£e 

 judgment of the stock growers of Illinois and 

 the ■'UiTCunding country, upon their inspection 

 of the stock, after it shall have reached Spring- 

 field, 111. Messrs. Brown, Johns and Jacoby 

 first visited all the principal herds they could 

 obtain information of, throughout the United 

 Kingdom, before making any selections. They 

 also attended the Royal Cattle Show of Dublin, 

 Ireland ; and were present at several public 

 sales of choice herds in different sections of Eng- 

 land, and that had been advertised for some 

 time previous to their arrival at Liverpool. The 

 result of their seven weeks labor in this coun- 

 try has been the purchase of thirty headof short 

 horn cattle, ten of which are bulls, and twenty 

 heifers and cows, principally the former ; twenty- 

 six head of sheep, eight of which are bucks, 

 and eighteen ewes ; twenty-one pigs, eleven of 

 which are Irish and the remaining ten are Berk- 

 shire, and three head of horses, two of which 

 are stallions, and a brood maro. 



Six head of their cattle were purchased at 

 the Royal Cattle Show of Dublin, and were the 

 premium stock of the choicest short horns on 

 exhibition ; three head were purchased from a 

 Mr. Ambler, near Halifax, at his public sale, 

 and who is confessedly one of the most distin- 

 guished herders in England ; two head were 

 procured from Rev. Mr. Caton, in the vicinity 

 of Mr. Ambler's ; three head from Mr. Cruik- 

 shanks, of Aberdeen, in the north of Scotland ; 

 two at Lancaster, from Mr. Boulden, and the 

 rest from various persons throughout the king- 

 dom. Those purchased from Mr. Cruikshanks 

 are beautiful heifers, and were selected from a 

 herd of One hundred and fifty head, said to be 

 the largest and finest herd of short horns in the 

 kingdom. The two heifers purchased from Mr. 

 Boulden have also been regarded with univer- 

 sal admiration. One of them is a two year old, 

 out of a dam by Grand Trunk, that was sold at 

 Mr. Ambler's sale, and was purchased by Mr. 

 Thome, of New York, at an enormous cost, as 

 the best bull in England. Mr. Boulden also 

 sold to Mr. Thome two Grand Dukes — one for 



