Abstract: A material spreader for the uniform distribution to the soil or to vegetation of particulate material such as fertilizers, pesticides or seeds. The material spreader comprises a hopper for particulate material adapted to be advanced along a given direction, the hopper including an outlet for discharging the particulate material downwardly, an impeller in association with the outlet for broadcasting the discharged material in a generally radial path surrounding the axis of discharge, and a shroud surrounding the impeller aligned to intersect the path of the broadcast material and to deflect the material downwardly to a region of controlled configuration. The shroud is curved, preferably elliptically in horizontal cross-section and has a width along the direction of advance of the spreader which is less than the width along a direction transverse to the direction of advance.