Seed drill

The Seed drill was invented by Jethro Tull in 1701, it allowed the farmers to sow seeds in well spaced rows at specific depths. Prior to this method (broadcasting), the famers simply cast seed on the ground for it to grow where it landed. Much of this seeds remained on the surface ground where it never germinated, or germinated prematurely, only to be killed by frost.

This invention allowed the famers to have greater control over the depth of the seed that was planted, and to be able to cover up the seeds without back tracking. This greater control meant that fewer seeds germinated early or late.

Over the years seed drills have become more advanced and sophisticated, but the technology remained substantially the same. The first seed drills were small enough to be drawn by a single horse. But the availibility of steam and later, gasoline tractors however, saw the development of larger and more efficent drills that allowed farmers to seed even larger tracts in a single day.

seed germination

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-- 05:06, 23 Jul 2004 (UTC)Beki Darkou