The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-09-16
agricultural.
From the HaIlolCeH Gazette.
WINTER WHEAT.

i WINTER WHEAT.
MEssRs. PRTNTERs-Having been for sew
eral years successfully engaged in the cuti
walton Of winter wheat, think il may b
interesting TO some Of your readers to know
the result Of my experiments.
Il ! was led 10 IFS cultivation, by observing /
to be one Of the staple commodities of tls
middle States, where the winter is unequi
and variable, and where the ground is occa
sionally frozen to as grcat depth as in Maine
without any covering of snow TO protect it
and where severe cold and sudden thaws some
times alternate through the winter. was als
informed by gentleman residing on the st
Lawrence, in the State of New York. thai
winter wheat was successfully cultivated IL
his neighborhood, in CHM tie similar to fha
Of Maine although prejudice had existed
there, as it does here, that il would not bear
the severity of our winters.
| My first experiment was made about FIVE
years since, with seed brought from New Or
leans. Having been informed in the middle
States that wheat sown late was not SO liable
to be injured by the Hessian hy, as when
sown early, did not sow mine till October.
II was sown on light soil, and in The Spring
looked well. 1t was however struck with rnst
before it was ripe; and the crop was very
much injured. As the winter had not Injured
my wheat, was not discouraged, but have
every year since sown wheat at different Pc
ROSS, between the last of August and 10Th of
October. All, that have sown on light soil.
has looked well in the spring but what was
sown late, that is, after the middle Of Septem-
Der, has been invariably struck with rust be-
fore it was ripe; while what was sown early.
has as invariably given good crop. Most Of
my experiments have been made on green
sward. After haying have selected piece
lof ground, which required ploughing. and
generally of light loom. have plourhed il
once, and narrowed il twice or thrice. nuttinp
on betwcc the harrowings from Is 70 90 Ioais
OF manure to tile acre, and sowing the seed
before the last narrowing. have ALWAYS fed
1t IN the autumn, believing, that it would be
less likely during the winter TO mould or die.
II eaten close, than if left long on the ground.
have found that the lighter the soil, the less
liable was the wheat to be DESTROYED bv the
winter; but this is of less importance. than al
hrst might be supposed for each remaining
root, sending up from 10 to 90 heads in the
spring, will supply the places of great MANY
killed 10 the winter. One piece, that raised
this season, on rather heavier soil than had
been accustomed to cultivate with wheat. an
peared in May to be two thirds dead but
when reaped 10 July the ground was nearlr
covered with grain; and it has Welded prabs.
| bly, 20 bushels to the acre have never ac-
curately measured my ground and CROP but
once which was last year, when raised %
bushels of excellent wheat upon one acre
l25 rods of land, being 81 bushels 29 quarts Il
thu acre. This wheat weighed last autumn
from 65 TO sc lbs, the bushel; one bushel last
weekweighed So lbs. having probably become
lighter by drying. A busbel of the same
wheat gave so lbs. 10 ounces of -four, the toll
having previously been taken ont.
The cultivation OF winter wheat is prefera.
bic to that OF summer wheat on a great yari.
ETY. OF accounts. 1t is sown, and the ground
prepared, at season Of much greater leisure
One OF the greatest disadvantages Of oar
northern climate is the extreme shortness nj
our spring, SO that tits difficult for our farmers
to complete the work, which is absolutely ne
cessary to be done, after the frost is out of the
ground, and before the season Of planting i.
over. If therefore any work, as the sowing
OF wheat, can be advantageously postponed iii
the autumn, II is of great Importance. The
winter wheat is less liable to injury from in.
sects than the summer; mine has never suf
fered from them. Ii affords good fall feed
and the larger quantity of roots and stubble 70
be pioughed IN make the land in better state
for the next crop. Ii will yield larger pro
duce to the acre. The grain is heavier, and
the same number of pounds will yield larger
quantity of -four, and of much superior dual.
lty. For these reasons, it cannot be toe
strongly urged upon the attention of our far.
mers. From every experience, should rec.
ommend that winter wheat should not be sow
ed later than the middle Of September, that the
soil, on which it is sowed, should be light
loom, and that about five pecks Of seed be sown
/ TO the acre. | have also found the use OF
plaster on wheat advantageous, as also rolling
The wheat after it is well up.-Winter wheat
might probably do better after peas and bean.
than on green sward. intend trying il after
both, and also after summer fallow, but have
not hitherto doneit r. III. GARDINER.
OAKLANDs, Gardin- J
er, july 80, 1898.