SEED. 



the article oi gram or produce. And tor this there may 

 alfo be other reafons, as where the feed is put in at a later 

 period, efpecially in the fpring, it will not have time fully 

 to eflablilh itfelf in the foil, before it becomes retarded by the 

 hot and dry fummer weather, unlefs a large quantity of feed 

 be employed io as to afford protection by the clofenefs of 

 the growth of the plants. And in the late autumnal fow- 

 ings, the grain may not become well fixed and rooted in the 

 loil before the frofts begin to affeA them ; and on that 

 account a larger proportion of feed be required than under 

 other circumltances would be necefTary. Something may 

 likewife depend on the ftatc of the weather in fowmg or 

 putting feed into the ground ; as where the feafon is 

 very dry, and there is but a fmall proportion of moiilure 

 in the foil, more of the feed may fail in vegetating, than 

 where the contrary is the cafe ; which alfo fliews the 

 propriety of iteeping and putting in the feed in fuch 

 dry feafons, immediately after the plough has performed 

 its work. 



And it mud likewife vary according to the manner in which 

 it is depofited in the earth ; as where the grain is fcattered 

 over the whole of the land, in fome meafure at random, as 

 in the common broadcall method of fowing, a much larger 

 proportion of feed mufl be fown, than where the grains 

 are depofited with equality and e.\a(ftnefs, but only on 

 certain portions of the land, as in drilling and dibbling. 

 And as fome difadvantage may attend the tirit method, in 

 refpcft to the vegetation of the feed, a larger proportion may 

 alfo be requifite on that account. It is confcquently evident, 

 that the quantity of leed mull vary according to different cir- 

 cumltances, and that it is a matter of much difliculty to fix 

 upon a proportion that may be fuitable to all thecircumtlanccs 

 and forts of foil. It is, however, commonly fuppofed that 

 from two and a half, to three and a half bufhels to the acre, 

 may be the proportion that may be the moft proper both in 

 the fpring and autumn fowings. Mr. Mlddleton has fug- 

 gefted, that for fowing wheat broadcall about the latter 

 end of September, two bufhels and a half is the mod 

 advantageous quantity on foils of medinm quality ; but 

 that for every fortnight later, four quarts of feed fhould 

 be added to that proportion. But the tabular view given 

 below of the proportions that have been found to anfwer 

 well in praftice in an extenfive midland dlllnft, on foils 

 of different qualities, may afford a more fatisfaclory no- 

 tion of the nature of feeding foils of diff"erent kinds and 

 qualities. 



It may be neceffary, before inferting this however, to 

 fhew the quantities in ufe in a great fouthern grain dillrift 

 with wheat. In Norfolk, in praftice of the beff: farmers, 

 the proportions of feed-wheat ufually made ufe of, accord- 

 ing to the late Agricultural Survey of that diftrid, are 

 about Walton, when dibbled, fix or feven pecks, in the 

 praftice of fome ; but with others, when foyin before 

 Michaelmas, two buftiels, afterwards two and a half. Alfo 

 near Dereham, the quantity is four bufhels broadcall, .and 

 when dibbled, from ten pecks to three bufhels. At Wlfsen 

 ten pecks dibbled, and three bufhels broadcaft ; and at Eall 

 Bilney, and the adjoining parllhes, only from two and a half 

 to three. But in the praftice of Mr. Henry Blythe of 

 Burnham, feven or eight pecks are drilled per acre ; but the 

 common quantity broadcaft, from ten to twelve. And in 

 the clays of Marlhland, from five to fix pecks are fown 

 broadcall. And about Wymondham they dibble in from 

 fix to eight pecks, but in the broadcall method fow three 

 bufhels. In fome fituations they however complain of lofs 

 Jrom too thin a plant in this fort of crop. 



i 



Table of Proportions of Seed on different Soils. 



i 



The exact proportion of feed that may be required, how- 

 ever, under different flates and circumftances of lands, in 

 order to afford the molt full and productive crops, cannot 

 by any means be afcertained, much conftantly depending on 

 the judgment of the feedfman, who mufl always decide in 

 refpeft to the neceffary proportion for the particular cir- 

 cumflance, having a due regard to the nature and quality 

 of his feed, as well as the time and manner in which it is 

 put into the ground, as well as other circumltances. See 

 Sowing. 



The moil ufual quantities and proportions of feed that are 

 made ufe of in all the different forts of field-crops, are men- 

 tioned under the particular heads to which they belong. 

 See the particular crops. 



The writer of the work on " Agricultural Chemiftry," 



thinks 



