Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1819-09-09
From the Richmond Enquirer.
CULTIVATION OF WHEAT.
Rayb0ursciile, July 26, 1919.

hnest portions OF the earth, whatever
materially concerns it's cultivation, is in.
teresting to mankind. Any attempt to
communicate Information, upon this in
tcresting subject however abortive it
may be, will, IN regard to the motive
from which il originates, be favorably
received. A judicious collation. of the
results of different experiments-re
suits which il behoves every farmer to
make public, If attended with any pc.
cu!isrity, leaving it if pernicious, as a
warning, or If beneficial. inviting TO an
limitation, will, finally place within the
reach of all, the best syste ~ of cultiva-
ton Influenced by these Impressions
I take the liberty of communicating no
you the results of some experiment., I
have been making, as also the reflections
10 which they have given rise.
The two principal enemies to wheat
ere the Hessiau ay, and the smut, The
discovery of preventive TO their per.
nicious effects, would be OF lasting bene-
htto human kind 1t has been pursued
with an eagerness N proportion to its
importance, but unfappily as ct, not with
corresponding success. 1 have endea-
voured to contribute my mite in this
iaudabie undertaking, and herewith
present you with the result.
Frst-gfthe Hessiap Ry.--It first ap-.
peared nthis section OF the country in
798. The crops being materially affected,
we prohted by the suggestions of our
northern neighbors, among whom it had
been destructive for several preceding
years, and postponed seeding from the
10th August to the beginning of October |
The result of this was to expose that
which was sown last to the effects of the /
fros, in winter and the fly in spring |
hence partial and sometimes indeed a
total loss ensued. A powerful appre-
hensjon began TO prevail that the fly was
calamity without remedy. This was
AZ length nisigaGed, by rumor that a
wheat had been found which was ay proof.
87r c. Hnnton, of Albemarle. brought
scme years past, a very small parcel OF
wheat, which on account off It's qualities,
he called Columbian, lbut which is more
generally known as Lawler) from his
trisnds IN Fauquier. This wheat he
asserted from actual experiment, resisted
The dy. Anxious TO test It's truth, |
procured 90 lbs, in the autumn of 1915, 2
Of which sowed in my garden, 8 10 my
corn land, about the middle OF October.
Both were exempt from the A., while my
other wheat was partially affected. The
produce of lbs, sown IN the garden
was So 1,2 pounds---that 10 the corn field
239 pounds, weighing So to the bushel
The whole product (being about bush
els) was sown on tobacco land aud in the
autumn Of 1916, product about 10 bush.
els The wheat was near the nlddie OF
field containing about 100 acres-Ali be-
side the Lawler wheat, which was I'm.
injured by the Az, was almost utterly
destroyed not producing above 8 bush.
els to the acre. The crop of 1917 was
in good degree destroyed by the fly.
The successful experiments with the
a. proof wheat, with the serious loss in
the crop oft8i7, induced me TO purchase
one hundred and fifty bushels of the
Lawler, which, with my own, made EGO
bushels. Iresolved to commence seeding
early in September with the Lswler, and
to continue it till the last of September
then SOW the ordinary kind, and finish
with the Lswler: hoping thereby to guard
against the effects of the fly as we'll in the
autumn as in the spring. The crop of
1918 was generally exempt from the fly i;
the Lswicr wheat which was sown early
produced fine crop-the late sowing,
very Indifferent one, being somewhat
rusted, as well as affected with the smut,
in some degree. resolved TO bring to
actual experiment its relative capacity
with othsr wheat, 10 resist the fly; to that
end | caused equal quantities of the
Lawler, and early wheat, to be sown on
the 27th August 1917, IN piece OF land
CuisiVaEed IN the Indian pea under
circumstances every way equal. The
Eesult was the entire destruction of the