253 DIEECT SOWING. 



fraction of the total area, the soil must be more deeply and more 

 carefully cultivated than for complete sowing. 



In the hills the strips should assume the form of short narrow 

 terraces. In order to minimise erosion the terraces shoujd always 

 break bond, i. e., every break in each line of terraces should be 

 exactly opposite to the middle of the terrace in the lines immedi- 

 ately above and below. Where the rainfall is slight and never 

 descends in heavy showers, the terraces should slope sKghtly 

 inwards, and the earth and refuse obtained in making them should 

 be heaped up along their outer edge. Where heavy falls occur, the 

 teiTaces must not be allowed to collect any water which would 

 ultimately flow over the edges and wash them away ; hence the 

 slope should be very slightly outwards and the refuse and superflu- 

 ous earth should be collected close up against the lower edges of 

 the terraces so as to prop them up and prevent the water flowing 

 off those edges too rapidly or in too large volume all at once. 



§ 6. Sowing the strips. 



Owing to the restriction of the aggregate area to be sown, we 

 can afford to use more seed here area for area than in the preced- 

 ing method. 



The seed may be scattered or dibbled in with the hand or sown 

 with any of the special implements described on pp. 250-251. 



They may be scattered without any order, or sown according to 

 a regular pattern, the most common forms of which are given in 

 Fig. 92. Large seeds, in order both to economise them and to 

 facilite after-supervision, are best sown individually in lines. For 

 small seeds also, sowing in lines is convenient ; but it is not the 

 most expeditious method, and when the seeds germinate freely, 

 mere scattering will suffice. In scattering the seed, owing to the 

 narrowness of the strips, the workman cannot help stooping and 

 cannot therefore give his arm so wide a sweep as when sowing 

 broadcast, so that the selection of calm and, if possible, drizzly 

 weather need not be insisted on here to the same extent as in the 

 other method. Small or light seed should he mixed with fine 

 earth or manure. 



§ 7. Covering the seed. 



The seeds may be covered with the aid of light rollers or hand 

 rakes or bush-harrows. When sowing machines are used, the 

 covering will of course be effected at the same time as the sowing-, 

 but under any circumstances ;; assing a light roller subsequently 



