Brass planters guage?

[Baggins]

Brass piece found in a farm field this weekend....it has hand stamped measurements on it, along with Wheat, Oats, Barley, and Flax Seed, with an 8 stamped on it as well...has two holes on either end that I assume attached it to something....any ideas?
Baggins

 

[crankyolman22]

Its a mounting plate for a rain gauge. A glass tube was attached to the plats and it was mounted on a fence post or something out in the open to measure the amount of rainfall.

 

[Baggins]

Why marked with the grains?
Baggins

 

[Baggins]

Its a mounting plate for a rain gauge. A glass tube was attached to the plats and it was mounted on a fence post or something out in the open to measure the amount of rainfall.

It is marked Wheat 3/4 Oats 1 1/4 Barley 1 1/4 and Flax Seed 1/2
Baggins

 

[D-minus]

Looks like it's a settings marker plate for an old seed spreader. You would set the lever to the correct location for the type of seed you're planting.

 

[D-minus]

On second thought, it's probably a depth gauge that was attached to a seeder for setting the planting depth.

 

[crankyolman22]

Its a mounting plate for a rain gauge. A glass tube was attached to the plats and it was mounted on a fence post or something out in the open to measure the amount of rainfall.

It is marked Wheat 3/4 Oats 1 1/4 Barley 1 1/4 and Flax Seed 1/2
Baggins

I believe those markings are to tell how much water was needed to properly water each individual crop. Also this would act as an evaporation indicator, similar to an evaporation pan, to let the farmer know when irrigation was necessary. As long as the water was above the mark, that crop was ok.