There is a general need for a simple and accurate apparatus for rapidly distributing material in the form of small solid bodies simultaneously and uniformly into a plurality of spaced containers for further processing. For example, seeds sown in containers must be covered to prevent them from washing away, and to prevent the build-up of moss and algae on top of the containers. A number of devices have been developed to spread covering material, usually granite grit or basalt gravel, over the seed. These prior devices are relatively bulky, mechanically complex, and somewhat unreliable. For example, some of the prior devices employ revolving drum members, rotating discs, or shutter boxes, all of which are quite bulky and expensive, as well as not being satisfactorily precise. Consequently, there is a definite need for a simpler, less expensive, and more accurate manually operable spreader usable with various materials, which can be adapted for use with different types of containers and with different kinds of seed covering materials, or for distributing seeds themselves.