12 BULLETIN 270, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
ROD ROWS. 
Previous to 1912 the rod rows were planted by opening a furrow, 
distributing the seed as uniformly as possible by hand, and then 
covering the rows. In 1912 each row was planted with 210 seeds 
1 inch apart in the row. These rows were 174 feet long, but the 
plants from 6 inches at each end of the row were discarded to reduce 
as much as possible the border effect. Only 164 feet were harvested. 
The writer has devised a planter for placing the seeds at uniform 
intervals in the row. This device, which was first used in 1912, is 
fairly satisfactory as compared with the method formerly used in 
planting. The planting device consists of a V-shaped trough 173 
feet long made in two sections of 8? feet each. It is made of boards 
3 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Transverse grooves were made 1 
Fic. 5.—View of the cereal nursery at the Williston substation in 1912. 
inch apart on the inside of one wing of the trough. — A seed is placed 
in each of the notches and remains in its position until the planter 
is tipped into the opened furrow. Each of the 210 seeds then rolls 
down the groove and drops into position in the row. 
The trough may be raised on supports 3 or 4 feet from the ground 
while the seeds are being placed in the grooves. The seeds are placed 
in the grooves quite rapidly by shaking them from the open end of 
an envelope held in the hand. Those that fall out of place are 
quickly moved with a pair of tweezers. 
The row is opened with a small hand plow. The trough with seeds 
in place is then lifted from its supports, the seeds turned mto the 
opened furrow, and then covered. Very uniform stands have been 
obtained in all rows during the years the planter has been used. 
The rod rows have contained sowings of the varieties used in field 
tests, newly imported cereals obtained through the Office of Cereal 
x 
i Bipuib cris Se Ee ae te Re ooen 
