The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-07-23
IgrtCutturM.
From The FQrmcr's CGjRCt,
BLlE Ca-NilLDGNV.

I have been good deal interested in looking
CaJinct, and would before this have said so, if an
unusual press ofhusincss had not deprived me Of
the necessary leisure,
The wheat crops Of the middle states have of
latter years become so precarous, that every Ia
,onaE suggestion as the cause and remedy, deserves
the attention of the farmer Our wheat and rye
and Indian corn, constitute, cmphacaIly the staff
Of li(e;and when there is so widely extended fail
ule as there was orlha rye in 1896, and as serious
an one as there has several times been more re-
Gently Of wheat, every person who finds his gar
ners empty when he hoped to have them well fill
cd, feels that the subject comes home TO his own
individual interest and comfort, in manner that is
Of no ufng consequence.
Col. Smith thinks tia, the growth of grass in our
wheat fields, Is the great cause orlhe mi!dew which
SO frequently and so suddenly prosrutes the hopes
of the farmer. lie talks of tho " elements oryeg-
etabe vgor and vaily''-tho elaboration" Of
snip the grain-and the difference Of temperature
between the soil covered with coat of grass and
that which is exposed TO the sun, &c. Now all
this don't profess to understand much about, be-
ing mattey-ol-lact man, and literally eating my
bread in the sweat of my face, but acknowledge
have so many and strong old-i,,.hioued partin-
ties in ii'or of sowing grass, seeds over our fields
Of winter grain, that | am reluctant TO yield it to
any theory, unless it shall be sustained by gen
orally acknowledged mcls. Now, put il TO cyey
man who has raised wheat or rye for the last
dozen years--vh hat has been his experience!
Las, season, and in the harvest Of 1889, we all
know there were extensive failures Of the wheat
crop, owing to The depredalions of the ny and the
prevalence Of mildews. In 1885, my wheat-bc.
tween the first ard last sowing Of viii in the au-
tum Of 1888, ihcro was difference Of Ten or
twelve days-was all exceedingly injured by the
mdcws. The earliest sown however, was dcri- ID
dadly The best: it was al sown with clover and
timothy in the spring. The lowest and best ground
had been the earliest sown with wheat; it was the
hes, adapted to tho growth Of grass; and there
was accordingly, much more luXuriant cost in
that part at harvest then there was in the higher
and lighter part Of The field The coat Of grass,
then, could not have caused the mdews in the
higher and lighter part of the field; nor did it APP
parcn,ly increase it in the lower prrt. The same
observations would apply TO my wheat last season.
Ind two lots, the soil of which was heavy and
rather low. bl, well adapted to grass; at harvest
the grass in these lois was luyurlnt while in the
higher ground-and every body knows That our dry
lands in Jersey arc not very favorable TO the growth
Of grass-had very Iiilly grass scattered over it,
the wheat here was almost worthless, while that
which was standing with fine coat Of grass was
good. believe the secret in both years was in
the early sowing of the wheat, the Gr, oeing put in
about the 5lh and the residue finished both seasons
sbou, the 2Oh Of 10 month.
Have already taken up too much room, or shall .
I remark in passing that both last year and the
year before had two or three acres Of Italian
spring wheat; both lots were sown on the lst day
Of the ilh month, and clover ald timothy sown 4,
tho same time: they were both in good order, and
ut harvest the coating Of grass was every thing /.
wished it to be. The crop in 1899 Welded little
more than twenty bushels per acre of fine plump
grain, and the straw was yellow, bright aud clear,
as could well be imagined: last year the yield was
but eight bushels per acre of miserable grain the
straw was covered with midew, and great dal
Of destroyed by that other pest, the lcssian ny
Should live 10 SOW wheat again, will pu, it
in early; and if my good friend, the Colonel, will
excuse my obstinary, don't mean yet to forcgo
the scattering abroad my grass seed, with liberal
hand, over my grain fields. Z.Y. s
Gio1ce;tsr c., ". z