1 Jury, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. & 
hardwood, and should be levelled at the bottom into a sharp V, so as to make a 
distinct mark. We place the runners 3 feet 9 inches apart, and the extra 
marker (@) seen at the right hand runs just 7 feet 6 inches from the runner. 
This makes a guide-mark to follow, and enables the driver to make straight rows 
without the trouble of setting stakes each time. 
The chain or rope (6) is fastened to the hame hook on the horse. This 
marker is secured by a single belt put in loosely, so that it will pivot around, and 
must be changed at each end. The part that makes the mark is made of 2-inch 
plank, with the edge bevelled sharp, and is just the shape and about the size of 
a half-head of a barrel. There must be a notch cut in each runner, or a strong 
bolt put in for the shank of this marker to rest against. 
For the marker shown in Fig 2, use an old buggy or light wagon 
pole; if either are not available, make a pole as shown in the sketch, 
with two braces to the 2-inch. by 4-inch scantling roller, 12 feet long. Jor 
runners take a plank 2 inches thick by 6 inches or 7 inches wide; cut 
two of them 2% feet long, two others 2 feet long; bore a hole with a 2-inch 
Fic. 2.—Corn Marker, 
auger in the two longest runners 5 inches from the ends. The runners 
may be rounded a little. Now nail a board, 5 inches or 6 inches wide, across 
runners—two small bolts in each runner would be better, but nails will 
hold them all right; also nail a short board on one end of two centre 
runners (see cut). This comes in handy to catch hold of to lift round at 
end of field. A man can drive a team much better than one horse. A good 
teamster can mark four marks at a time by using stakes, or a piece of stick 
nailed to the top board at the end, to which is tied a weight with a rope 1 foot 
long. 
Now will be discerned the advantage of having prepared a good seed bed, 
as the marker, running over the smooth soil, will leaye well-defined indications 
for the man operating the sowing-machine to follow. In the eyent of not being 
provided with the marker or seed drill; the farmer will need to draw his drills 
by the aid of his sticks in the usual way, drawing out two drills at double 
distance, and splitting down the centre. This saves some small amount of rod- 
marking, For broom corn, the drills should be either 3 feet or 3 feet 6 inches 
apart. In ordinary good soil 3 feet is, perhaps, the better distance. - 
The single-drill machine will sow, with drills 3 feet or 3 feet 6 inches apart, 
from 6 to 8 acres per day, doing the drilling, dropping, and covering at one 
operation. The value of mechanical planting over hand work lies not only in 
the expedition gained, but in evenness of dropping as well as in properly graded. 
depth in sowing. In the ordinary operations of drilling with the plough, 
determine howsoever we may to draw evenly shallow drills, in practice the result 
is that, unless the ground is very smooth and deeply worked, some “ graye 
holes” will be made, for ever precluding the germination of the seed. The 
depth to which the seed should be buried should not exceed 2 inches, indeed 14 
is sufficient. When drills vary in depth, the seed comes up irregularly, and 
there is a consequent irregularity in the maturing of the crop, all of which can 
