1802.] Mr. Knight's Drill Machine for Sowing Turnips. 83

any ſoil that is nearly in a proper fate to receive it: Itis nhe- ceſlary either to harrow the ground acres, or to roll it, previ ouſly to the inſtrament being uſed, that the labourer may ſee the rows he has made; but I have always found the crop to ſuccead better after the roller than after the harrow, though the ground has been very ſhong.

The inſtrument is ſo extremely fimple in its conſtru&ion, that it is almoſt unneceflary to give a deſcription of its mode of action; but as parts ot it may probably be broken in carriage, I have added the following ſketch:—(S$e Plate I, Fig 2.) A, the iron wheel, which, running on its edge, formed by two concave ſides, makes the groove into which the ſeeds fall. I have ſome- times uſed a wheel with ſtrait ſides; but I think that concave ſides, when wellexecuted, are to be preferred in ſtrong ſoils, and indeed in any ſoil. B is a wheel maving on the ſame axis with A, and turning the wheel C(which gives out the ſeed) by means of a ftrap. I have ſevera! ſizes of the wheel B, in order to increaſe or diminiſh the rapidity of C; and conſeguently to ſow more or leſs ſeed. D, the tube through which the ſeed paſſes, and falls into the chan- nel made by the iron wheel. E, the feet of the inſtrument, F, ſix lengths of jack-chain; which I find cover the ſced remark- ably well. The chain is perhaps preferable to any kind of har=- row; becauſe it can never become encumbered by looſe fraw, which is almoſt always found on.or cloſe to the ſurface, when the ground has been manured; and the cutting-wheel has.a ſimilar advantage over any kind of ſhare. GI, the ſeed-box. H H, the handles of the machine.

The labour of uſing the iaftrument is very ſmall. My work- man uſually accompliihes four ſtatute acres or ſomething more in a day: and laſt night, with the one I ſend, he ſowed. an acre and a half after ſix o’clock in the evening. There’‘are two holes before the axis of the great wheel, to receive two pieces of cane, which point out the proper width of the intervals be- tween the rows. I uſually place my rows at eighteen or twenty inches diſtance; and I wiſh my plants to ſtand at not more than ſix inches apart in the row; for I find that three ſmall turnips weigh about as much as one lacge turnip, are more ſolid, and 1 think more nutritious, and certainly are much leſs apt to ſuffer by unfavourable weather. The ground between tne rows is, of courſe, worked with the hoe. Should the So- ciety, at their next meeting, approve of the inſtrument, and will afford it a place in their Repoſitory, T will beg them to accept it, if not, I will requeſt you to return it at your leiſure.

Iam, Sir, Your moſt obedient ſervant,

THOMAS ANDREW KNIGHT.

Elton, near Ludlow, June 22, 1800.