Figure 5. --The Rangeland drill recently developed by Federal agencies for seeding rough, 

 rocky ranges. The circular metal flange prevents penetration of the furrow -opening 

 disk beyond optimum depth of seed placement. Furrow openers have flexibility of 

 movement that permits the drill to roll over large obstacles without breakage. 



Seeds of m.ost grasses can be fed from the grain hopper of the drill with cups on the 

 "wheat" setting. Small seeds such as clover, alfalfa, and timothy, can be seeded from the 

 small "grass seed" hopper attached to most grain drills (Plummer et al. 1955). 



Broadcasting usually wastes seed because it distributes it poorly. Also, broadcast seed 

 may be covered unevenly or not at all. However, broadcasting may have to be used where 

 drilling cannot be done because of steepness, rockiness, or trees. Broadcast seed should be 

 covered. Some covering can be accomplished by a harrow, chain, brush drag, or hand rake. 

 Under a few conditions broadcast seed is covered by natural means. On all but sandy soils, 

 seed broadcast immediately on newly turned ground is covered as the fresh clods break up and 

 the soil settles. On timber and brush burns, a deep layer of fresh ashes covers seed if broad- 

 casting is done before the ashes are packed down by rains. Sagebrush ashes are seldom deep 

 enough to cover broadcast seed. 



The disadvantage of broadcasting is shown by comparing it with drilling on freshly plowed 

 seedbeds at eight locations in southern Idaho in 1954. When these seedings were 2 years old, 

 crested wheatgrass plants averaged 1.4 plants per square foot and produced 487 pounds of herb- 

 age, air-dry, per acre on drilled plots; on broadcast-seeded plots, with the same amount of 

 seed per acre (Hull 1959), the averages were 0.5 plant per square foot and 182 pounds of 

 herbage per acre. 



Broadcasting seed in pellets of compressed earth or coated seed pellets has attracted 

 much attention. The compressed earth pelleting operation damages the seed, and poor stands 

 have resulted on all areas seeded by these pellets (Tisdale and Piatt 1951;Moomaw et al. 1954). 



6 



