Crop Circles A Beginner's Guide - Hugh Manistre-pages

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Page 6 of 66
Crop Circles A Beginner's Guide - Hugh Manistre-pages

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‘junctions’. * Precise positioning within the field - aligned to the tramlines; remote from the tramlines; not crossing field boundaries. Sightings of crop circles have been reported from countries around the world, but it has been those found in the English counties of Hampshire and Wiltshire which have received most attention. As researchers began to accumulate data over a number of years, two apparent trends were noted. Firstly, the number of circles discovered each year increased and, secondly, the design complexity Estimates vary as to the numbers logged each year, but it is accepted that between 1980 and 1991 there was an increase each year, beyond that accounted for by increased observation of the landscape. A gradual progression has occurred, beginning with single circles, then multiple circles in formation; doubles, triples and quintuplets, then single and double rings, then avenues connecting circles. Over time a bewildering variety of shapes has been recorded, including triangles, spirals, ellipses, with the list increasing each season. It has been this sense of progression, with the underlying implication of intelligent design, that has fuelled public fascination with the circles. Circles have been found in a variety of crops and there are also reports of markings in snow and sand. The most common crops in which circles appear in the United Kingdom are wheat and barley, but they can also occur in grass, oil seed rape and oats. Outside the United Kingdom circles have been reported in rice, reed beds, spinach and maize. Arable farms grow cereals for a number of uses, predominantly bread, animal feeds, biscuits and brewing. Smaller quantities are grown for seed. Different varieties of wheat, barley and other crops will be chosen for different purposes. Wheat suitable for milling or barley suitable for malting (for brewing) attract a premium, but yield less per acre. Other than organically grown crops (currently accounting for only | per cent of all agriculture in the United Kingdom), cereals will be sprayed with a variety of chemicals through their growing cycle. The regular passage of the tractor in the field is allowed by planting with regular gaps. These will be determined by the width of the spraying arm, so that an arm of 16 metres will give tramlines at that width. Development and Progression appeared to show evolution. Types of Crop Farming Practice A farmer will, probably, harvest the flattened crop in a circle formation, by lowering the height of the