The third method of sowing by dibbling, is employed chiefly on the light soils in the s. of England, and even there not generally, at least in the case of cereals, so that a minute description of the machines by which the operation is effected is unnecessary. Suffice it to mention that dibbling only requires about one-third of the seed which is necessary In drilling, and presents still greater opportunities for weeding and stirring the soil iu the early stages of growth; but is attended With various important defects, and is more expensive.
When a cereal crop is to lie followed by grass, the grass seeds are sown a few days after the other crop, by a broad-cast machine or by the hand.
sowing of this crop (see llEx) is performed by means of the row, a machine the same in structure as the drilling-machine for corn, but wanting the coulters. and having only three tubes. through which the seeds fall. Peas are frequently sown along with beans, the latter acting as a support to the fdrmer, and the two preventing the growth of weeds. The hand is also sometimes adopted.
this crop the ground be more thoroughly cleaned and broken down them oilier; after which it is formed into drills from 26 to 29 in. apart,
which are then supplied with manure, and covered with the drill-plough, splitting the original drills. The new ridges thus formed being directly above the manure, the seeds are sown on the top of each ridge by the means of the t This machine, instead of a seed-box of the ordinary form, has two tin or tinned-iron barrels, placed on a spindle. Each cylinder has a row of holes round its middle circumference, the row being covered by a circular sliding collar of thin metal, perforated with corresponding holes. Each seed-box has its corresponding seed-tube and hollow coulter. as in the corn-drill; but the turnip-machine has in addition a roller in from of the coulters, for compressing the crests of the ridges, and some machines have two light rollers attached behind, which slightly compress the earth raised by th.2 coulters, and cover the seeds, The quantity of seed sown is about 2 lbs. of globe yellow, and about 3 lbs of Swedish turnips to the acre. The proper time to sow swedes is from the 12th to 25th of May, and yellows front ?silly 26 to June 12.