Thorough Tillage System eor Trains oe Colorado, ii 
Rate of Seeding .—Because of the limited amount of moisture 
in the soil a limited amount of seed should be used in seeding all 
crops grown on semi-arid lands which can not be irrigated. If 
seeded too heavily there is not sufficient moisture in the soil to ma¬ 
ture all plants and the entire crop in a very dry year is liable to 
“fire”—ripen prematurely. It is better to under seed rather than 
over seed. The rate of seeding depends so much upon the size of 
seed, mechanical condition of the seed bed, method of seeding and 
moisture—conditions that it is impossible to give the exact amount 
of seed which should be used in seeding the various field crops. 
The writer this past season carried on a co-operative experiment 
with a farmer testing two varieties of drouth resistant wheats on 
sod. One was seeded nearly twice as heavy as the other one, yet 
the field having the lightest seeding had equally as good a stand as 
the field seeded the heavier, because there were nearly twice as many 
kernels in a bushel and each kernel made a plant. Below is a sug¬ 
gestive table which may prove helpful to persons who are seeding 
crops for the first time on semi-arid lands. The amount of seed 
required is usually from one half to two thirds that which is used 
for the irrigated lands. 
RATE OF SEEDING FOR NON-IRRIGATED LANDS. 
Name. 
Lbs. per Bushel. 
Lbs. 
per l 
GRAIN CROPS. 
Wheat . 
.60 
45 
to 
60 
Barley. 
.48 
50 
to 
60 
Oats. 
.32 
40 
to 
60 
Rye. 
.56 
35 
to 
50 
Emmer, or Speltz. . . . 
.40 
45 
to 
60 
Field Corn (in hills) . . 
. (shelled) ... 56 
4 
to 
6 
Field Corn (in drills or lister rows). 
5 
to 
7 
Sweet Corn (in hills) . 
6 
to 
8 
Sweet Corn (in drills) 
10 
to 
15 
Kafir Corn. 
.56 
4 
to 
5 
Broom Corn. 
.46 to 55 
2 
to 
4 
Field Peas. 
.60 
30 
to 
50 
Field Beans. 
.60 
15 
to 
25 
Proso . 
.60 
6 
to 
12 
Millett . 
.60 
5 
to 
10 
Buckwheat. 
.50 
20 
to 
30 
Flax. 
.56 
20 
to 
30 
FORAGE CROPS: 
Sorghum or Cane.5 0 
Alfalfa.60 
Meadow Fescue.24 
Brome Grasses.14 
Vetches. 
ROOT CROPS: 
Sugar Beets . . 
Mangel Wurzel 
Carrots. 
Stock Turnips 
8 to 2 5 (varies with 
method of seeding.) 
20 to 25 
15 to 25 
15 to 25 
20 to 30 
10 to 15 
8 to 12 
3 to 5 
iy 2 to 4 (manner of 
seeding.) 
