Hand-Held Auger Great For Stirring Up Seed

Hand-Held Auger Great For Stirring Up Seed CROPS New Techniques 18-3-29 An Illinois manufacturer says he's got a handy little tool for farmers who mix seed treatments in seed at planting. "Many farmers have $50,000 or more invested in a tractor and planter or drill, $15 to $20 an acre in seed, and then they mix seed treatment in with a screwdriver or an ax handle (as suggested by one major supplier) and get only about 25 percent of seed treated properly," says Wayne Niewold, manufacturer of the Power Planter. The 3-in. dia., 12-in. long auger was originally designed for garden work - planting bulbs, small plants and aerating compost. But Niewold says farmers started using the auger, which fits on a hand drill, to mix seed treatment into seed in planter boxes. "It works equally well for either wet or dry treatments but is especially good for wet treatments because it gets the liquid all mixed in before it runs to the bottom of the box and gums up the metering units," says Niewold, noting the auger works best on a 3/8 in. variable speed drill. Sells for $24.95. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Power Planter, Inc., 149 North Market Si, Paxton, Ill. 60957 (ph 217 379-2614).

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