PREPARING SEED BEFORE SOWING. 191 



factories work at a different period from anywhere else 

 in the world, hence the time of planting also differs. 

 There, the climate being mild, the period of sowing is 

 not the same as in Nebraska, for example. In California 

 the time of planting is from January to June; while in 

 Nebraska, April 15 to May 20; New York, May. The 

 possibility of early frost should never be lost sight of; 

 when it is contended with, a second sowing should be 

 made without loss of time. We, for many years, were 

 not in favor of the principle, but we have concluded 

 that it is better to lose the seed than to lose the crop 

 for that season. 



From a technical point of view, WalkhofiE's idea of 

 determining the most desirable time for sowing, by 

 making several observations as to temperature of soil, 

 offers advantages. In France, an average mean of 6 

 degrees C* (42.8 degrees F.), at a depth of about three 

 inches, is considered an excellent guide; for the young 

 root would have reached that depth the tenth day 

 after sprouting. The question of preparing the seed 

 prior to sowing has been discussed previously. No 

 question has been more urged during the past twenty 

 years than the importance of not economizing the seed. 

 Notwithstanding this, circular after circular is sent to 

 farmers, by those who should know how to look after 

 their interests better than they do, by recommending 

 ten pounds to the acre, while in Germany, forty pounds 

 is not uncommon; however, we repeat here what we 

 have constantly asserted, that twenty pounds is a safe 

 average. The mechanical spacing between lines leads 

 to far better results than if the so-called thinning-out 

 method be adopted. 



*What we wish to oonvey by average mean is the average of ohser- 

 Tations taken morning, afternoon and evening : 



( 6 A. M 36°P. 



Supposing at.... !l2P. M 48°F. 



leP.M 42°F. 



1260E. 

 The average mean for the day is^26^^^j. 



