Where Are The Twin Rows?

Where Are The Twin Rows? CROPS New Techniques 6-5-23 The Burch "twin row" first became available in the late 1940's, according to Jim Chambers, sales manager for Chromalloy Farm Equip. Division, which acquired Burch, formerly the Burch Plow Works headquartered at Evansville, Ind. The plate-type planter is still available today and is primarily sold in the South for peanuts, and overseas. According to Ken Eason, of Cole Mfg., Charlotte, N.C., their "dual row" planter has been available for "about 10 years" and is still available. Both the Burch and Cole planters were first used for planting peanuts, then later used for planting beans, corn, cotton and other crops. Each unit spaces the rows 7 in. apart and places the seeds in a triangular-shaped pattern within the twin rows. Also, the planters can vary the distance between seeds within a row by changing sprockets. In tests that Burch conducted, twin rows increased corn yields 10 to 35%, depending on soil and other conditions, according to Chambers. "The Burch planter, while a great idea, never really caught on in the Corn Belt, primarily due to the lack of promotion about the planter and twin-row concept." The Cole "dual row" lists for $968 per row unit, and the Burch "twin row" for $846. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Cole Mfg., P.O. 9216, 1318 Central Ave., Charlotte, N.C. 28299 (704 377-1657 FARM SHOW Followup, Burch Products, Chromalloy Farm Equip. Corp., 1516 Burlington Ave., Kewanee, Ill. 61443 (ph 309 852-2191).

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