4 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Suny, 1899. 
apparatus in motion, or refrain from cleaning his machine, or fail to keep the 
requisite quantity of seed in the seed-box, the inference is that a very erratic 
crop must eventuate. 
T have no doubt there are many good types of seed-sowers, notably some 
usually used by our maize-planters, that can be adapted for use. The planter 
T have used with success is the “Challenge” one-horse drill (here illustrated), 
with which I haye sown some considerable areas of broom corn during the past 
two seasons, prior to which the sowing was done by hand. By the catalogue 
which I have at hand I learn that this drill is procurable in America as a two- 
horse machine that will operate two drills at once, thus much expediting the 
sowing. 
As this machine is equally adapted for sowing maize and peas as well as the 
Sorghum family, the possession of one by the farmer will prove useful in the 
cultivation of other crops as well as the one under consideration. The only 
drawback is that the discs usually sent to this colony with it have not the 
regulation one adapted to sowing broom corn, which -requires a dise with 
perforations more minute and in lesser number than the ordinary ones. 
Tn my own case, I had to perforate a spare plate, with the result, after some 
trials, of getting a regular standard of dropping, which obviated thinning or 
further replanting. Presuming that the farmer then contemplates sowing with 
a machine that operates thuswise, the first object is to get his drills marked. 
out for opening. This, with a one-horse machine is no easy matter, as your 
horse will prevent your sighting your drill-sticks, so that, unless you can put two 
horses in your planter and view your guide-sticks as usual, it will be necessary 
to manufacture a marker. It is hardly necessary to impress upon the practical 
farmer the full advantage of straight, evenly divided drills. When cultivating 
between them with the horse hoe, drills that run either unevenly in space or 
crooked in direction are exasperating to the workman, inasmuch as his imple- 
ment either overlaps or misses ground that should be stirred, all to the detriment 
of the crop. The better plan, then, to secure even, straight drills, suitable to the 
operation of the planter, is to construct a marker which will mark 8 or 4 drills 
at once. This marker can be easily constructed by placing the number of 
runners corresponding to the width of the drills required, and nailing or 
tennoning crosspieces to them to give rigidity. This, with a ie for a couple of 
horses, will be all that is needed. The ordinary form of slide often used by 
farmers, with the addition of a couple of runners, is as near the pattern of a simple 
land marker as I can describe. The illustration will show clearly what is meant. 
Hanpy Corn-MARrkERS. 
This implement is used for marking out the rows of maize or millets before 
lanting. In Fig. 1 the runners are made of 83-inch plank, but, if this cannot 
be had conveniently, a good 1-inch board can be nailed-or bolted to the side of 
92-inch plank to give the necessary thickness. The runners are better made of 
Fic. 1.—Corn Marker. 
