Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-08-03
SPECTATOR.
-STAUMTON.
THURSDAY, AUG. 5, 1887.
SPRING WHEAT.

@We have the satisfaction to state
that the experiment made with the Ital-
ian, or Spring Wheat. in this neighbor
hood. has been highly satisfactory and
successful in every instance. that we
have yet heard. Its adaptation to our
soil aud climate, we thiuk admits of no
question, and we doubt not that its intro
ducdon among US is TO confer the most
important benefits on our community
This wheat was brought from Florence.
about five years ago. and has been cult.
sated in New York ever since, with
great success. yielding from twenty to
thirty bushels to the acre on ordinary
land. and is in universal request among
farmers as far as knowledge Of il has
extended. Our attention was first call
ed to it last fall, by letter from JAY
HATHAWAY, ESQ, Postmaster at Rome,
New York. TO the editor of the Rich
mond Enquirer. which we published in
the Spectator. About six bushels of il
were procured in February last. by JOHN
b. BRECKENRIDGE, Esq. through the
Kind attention of Mr.. Hathaway, (whose
disinterested zeal in the disse mination
OF this valuable grain is worthy of all
praise and distributed among our citi-
gems. The Senior Editor got bushel,
which after cleansing it of the oats which
was mixed with it, left about seven
sighths. This was sown about the
middle OF March, on hill side, from
which two crops had been taken with
out manuring, and the yield is estimat-
ed by judges at from fifteen to TWEEN
ty bushels; there being something over
thirty dozen. 1t is bearded grain,
the heads large and well filled, and the
straw of beautiful bright yellow
We have heard OF one gentleman whose
yield from peck is fourteen dozen.-
BENJAMIN CRAWFORD. Esq. who also
succeeded in procuring about bushel
and half of the seed from New York
we understand estimates his yield at
about twenty-five bushels. We hope
that all who have made the experiment
will furnish us with the results, that
they may be published.
The Italian or Spring Wheat COM
mends itself to the attention OF farmers
from the fact that it is exempt from the
casualties of the winter, the fly, and, we
believe, not so liable to rust-for we had
fields of fall wheat smartly stricken on
both sides Of our patch Of Spring w heat,
while it was wholly uninjured. 1t ought
to be sown as early in the Spring. as it
can be got in-although Mr.. Hathaway
states that it has done we'll in New
York, sowR as late as the 10th OF Nav.
By early sowing. however, the danger
from rust might be better avoided
We place great confidence in the expe-
rimen: made this season as to its success
in our climate, from the fact that tn.
spring was unusually dry and cold, so
that the grain had little chance to grow,
for weeks after it was sown. But for
this we believe it would have ripen-
ed about the first of July.
1t is not presumed that this Whea,
ought 10 suPercede the fall grain in our
cultivation. Such result would not
be desirable-ior it would crowd too
much Of the business of the farm into
the spFing-but every farmer might find
it to bis prof! to devote to it a few
acres. Besides the greater security it
would afford him of a crop. i, occurs to
Us that he might use it TO advantage in
filing up the spots in his fields Of fall
wheat that had not taken or were win
ter killed.
We understand that the experiments
made with the common Wheat, of sow
ing III the spring, have all failed.