SOWING. 



D+ iowiiig, oil many other accounts ; as where the lands or 

 ridges are hable to vary in their dimenliona or breadths at 

 the different ends or parts, the fowinfr is not performed 

 without great trouble and walte of feed, as the fcattering 

 of it, in turning fo often on the different parts, is prevented 

 from being effected in fo regular and ex.iA a manner, as 

 when the feedfman :s direfted by a particular furrow-llice. 

 The fowing is, therefore, fometiraes very imperfeft in fuch 

 eafes, even with good feedfmen. In fowing in this way 

 there are probably, too, lefs economy, lefs exadlnefs in many 

 points, and lefs attention provided for the management of 

 the crops, wliile they are growing afterwards. 



Sowing in tlie broad-call manner has, however, many ad- 

 vocates, and is probably the moft prevailing praftice in 

 moft diftricis of the kingdom ; and fome think that, in 

 common, all forts of grain produce the largeit quantity 

 on the acre, when fown in this method. It fhould, not- 

 withflanding, perhaps give way to the machine pradice 

 of fowing, wherever it can be had recourfe to with eafe and 

 facility. 



In general it is, however, fuppofed, that thefe incon- 

 veniencies may be prevented by the drill method of fowing, 

 which drops the feed at v.'hatever depth and dillance ex- 

 perience has (liewn to be the fittelt for the particular kind 

 which is fown ; fills all the furrows with earth, fo that none 

 of the grain rcinains uncovered ; and lets fall into each fur- 

 rew the cxadl quantity of feed which has been found to be 

 mofl proper. In this way the feed is of courfe diftributed 

 with greater regularity and exaftnefs, both in regard to 

 depth and the dillance of the rows, by which the crops not 

 only fuccced better, but are more capable of being aflilled 

 in their culture afterwards ; while much feed is faved. It 

 is likewife believed to have many other advantages over the 

 common method of fowing. See Drilling. 



It evidently admits more air and light for the growth and 

 maturation of the crops, and produces a better and more 

 abundant quantity of them. In fowing wheat and other 

 grain crops in this way, they fhould probably not have more 

 ipace between the rows than about feven inches ; but in 

 other kinds it fhould vary, according to the nature and 

 habits of the growtii of the plants, and the ftate of the foil. 

 The fowing in this way in too thin a manner has oflen been 

 injurious to the cultivator. 



Sowing is fometimes performed likewife in methods be- 

 tween thofe of the broad-call and the drill, as by means of 

 tools with different numbers of fhares. The fowing is, in 

 thefe cafes, executed, when the land becomes firm and rather 

 folid, immediately after the tool, over the whole furface of 

 the land in the broad-calt way, the feed moltly falling into 

 the little furrows or openings that are left by the implement. 

 In fowing in this manner, there are the advantages, it is 

 obfervcd, of having the land firm between the fmall drills, 

 of the feed taking firmer hold of the ground, of its being 

 readily performed and attended with little trouble, of the 

 feed coming up with great regularity, of the crop being 

 lefs liable to accidents, in confequence of the ailion of the 

 fun and air being more free, of its affording a greater faci- 

 lity in the after-culture, and of the quantity of grain being 

 incrcafcd. On light and dry foils, this m'.ide of fowing is 

 faid to be attended with the befl effefts. Some, however, 

 think that one call before and another after this tool is the 

 moll preferable mode of fowing. 



But whatever may be the benefits of fowing in the drill 

 manner, it has hitherto made no very great progrefs, though 

 it is evidently a moil ufeful method. 



There are alfo other methods of fowing, as by dibbling, 

 dropping, and fetting with the hand, which, under diflerent 



circumllances, are found very beneficial modes. See Dib- 

 bling and lliDCE. 



Thefe are, however, methods wliich are only fuited to 

 particular fituations and circumllances of land. 



AH thefe different ways of fowing, or putting the feed 

 into the ground, may perhaps be found ufeful, and be prac- 

 tiled with luccefs, under different circumtlances and condi- 

 tions of land ; as where one miode is improper, or not 

 capable of being had recourfe to, another may be fubfli- 

 tuted, in order to fupply its place, and accomplifh this im- 

 portant bufinefs of the farmer, in the moll proper and 

 defirable manner. 



In fowisg fmall feeds for plants, conllant attention is 

 necefl'ary to the times or periods at whicli the plants will be 

 wanted for fetting out as crops, and the different fowing; 

 made accordingly. For thefe fowings, fmall fuitable por- 

 tions of land, in a fine Hate of preparation and cultivation, 

 and which are well fecured, are always to be cholcn. The 

 fowings for cabbage, and other fimilar forts of plants, fhould 

 be made at two or three different times, both for the autumn 

 and fpring crops, in order that the plants may be flrong and 

 healthy. And for raffing fpring plants of the ieveral dif- 

 ferent other kinds, as thofe of the lettuce, or other fimilar 

 forts, the feeds fhould be fown at two or more feparate 

 times, in the early fpring feafon, that good plants may be 

 in readinefs for fetting out, when war.ted. In general, 

 fmall fpaces of ground will be fufficient for thefe purpofes, 

 as they may contain the quantities of plants which arc ne- 

 ceflary. The fowings, in fuch cafes, are to be made in a 

 regular, but not too thick a manner ; the plants being after- 

 wards, when of fome growth, properly thinned, that they 

 may become flrong plants. In fowing fom.e forts of fmall 

 feeds, it is ufeful to mix a little afhes, or fome other fimilar 

 fubflance, with them, to make them low better. The fow- 

 ing of grafs-feeds fliould always be performed in as regular 

 and exaft a manner as poflible. See Gr.vss and Grass- 

 Land. 



Sowing of Seeds, in Gardening, the pradlice of putting 

 feed into the ground, in the garden manner ; in which dif- 

 ferent methods are made ufe of, according to the forts : as 

 broad-cafl fowing and raking-in, drill fowing, bedding-in 

 (owing, &c. ; in each of which there are fome advantages in 

 different ways. 



The firll is the mofl common and expeditious method of 

 fowing, both for many of the principal crops to remain, 

 and for tranfplantatioii ; and is performed by fowing the 

 feed with a fpreading call evenly all over the furface of the 

 ground, either in one continued plat, or when divided into 

 beds, which is immediately raked with a large rake, to bury 

 all the feeds a due depth in the earth ; fome requiring to be 

 raked in as light as polfible, otliers Iialf an inch or an inch 

 or more deep, according to their kinds and fi/.es, &c. 



In preparing for this method of fowing, the ground i^ 

 previoufly dug over in the common way, or in fuch a manner 

 as is neceffary ; making the furface level with the tpade, as 

 the work proceeds ; and, according to the nat'ire of the 

 feed, fowing it as foon as poflible afterwards. And this 

 fort of fowing fliould generally be performed in dry weather, 

 particularly the early lowings in winter and fpring ; but in 

 hot weather, in fummcr and autumn, it may often be eli- 

 gible to take advantage of fowing immediately after a 

 Ihower of moderate rain. And as to the fowing the leed in 

 the broad-call way, it is clfeftcd occafionally both with at) 

 open and locked iiand. In the former cafe, it is performed 

 by delivering the feeds with an open haiiil, and bro.id-lpread- 

 iiig call, as praCiiled in fowing corn in the open fields, pre- 

 vioufly llepping out the ground in breaks, or certain widths, 



as 



