356 HOW CROPS 6E0W. 



While it is the nearly uniTersal result of experience in 

 temperate regions that agricultural seeds germinate most 

 surely when sown at a depth not exceeding one or two 

 inches, there are circumstances under which a widely 

 different practice is admissible or even essential. In the 

 light and porous soil of the gardens of New Haven, peas 

 may be sown six to eight inches deep without detriment, 

 and are thereby better secured from the ravages of the 

 domestic pigeon. 



The Moqui Indians, dwelling upon the table lands of 

 the higher Colorado, deposit the seeds of maize 13 or 14 

 inches below the surface. Thus sown, the plant thrives, 

 while, if treated according to ' the plan usual in the 

 United States and Europe, it might never appear above 

 ground. The reasons for such a procedure are the fol- 

 lowing : The country is without rain and almost with- 

 out dew. In summer the sandy soil is continuously 

 parched by the sun, at a temperature often exceeding 

 100° in the shade. It is only at the depth of a foot or 

 more that the seed finds the' moisture needful for its 

 growth — moisture furnished by the melting of the winter 

 snows.* 



R. Hoffmann, experimenting in a light, loamy sand, 

 upon 24 kinds of agricultural and market-garden seeds, 

 found that all perished when buried 13 inches. When 

 planted 10 inches deep, peas, vetches, beans, and maize, 

 alone came up ; at 8 inches there appeared, besides the 

 above, wheat, millet, oats, barley, and colza ; at 6 inches, 

 those already mentioned, together with winter colza, 

 buckwheat, and sugar-beets ; at 4 inches of depth the 

 above and mustard, red and white clover, flax, horse- 

 radish, hemp, and turnips ; finally, at 3 inches, lucern 

 also appeared. Hoffmann states that the deep-planted 

 seeds generally sprouted most quickly, and all early dif- 



* For these Interesting facts, the writer is indebted to Prof. J. S. 

 Newberry. 



