Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-05-10
VOL. IS, NO. a4-wHOLE NO. 1903.
From the Farmers Monthly Visitor
ON RAISING OF WHEAT.
Preparation of Seed TO prevent Smut.


English account published some years since,
which practice have adopted for five or six
years past with success, and do think much of
IT,
Make brine OF common salt strong enough to
bare up hens egg; then put in your wheat, not
more than the brine will cover. Stir it and skim
as long as any thing will rise. 1t will float off all
the light kernels Of wheat, oats, light kernels of
cookie, smut, or any thing that is injurious to the
seed, Then take the wheat out, and put into the
snme brine another lot, and so on till you have
cleaned all you wish. After washing put the
wheat into heap-let il lay six hours-then mix
a sufficient quantity Of dry ashes, plaster of
Paris or lime /; then Immediately SOW your wheat.
am very particular as TO the time.
The result is, have not found but two smut
heads since adopted this method, and think it
beneficial rs preventing worms from destroying the
seeo, ~ vel adding to the growth OF the wheat.
The English account says, (as well as individuals
with whom ccnveYsed from England that it has
been rIed on a farm for fosly years, and al
ways successful. More proofs from the sene ac-
count might offer hui am satisfied from my
own ex2eyience Of iba beneficial results.
Needing Of BxenL 5ea
I weed my wheat always twice. The first limo
when the wheat is three or four inches high then
again just before it begins to head ont / use an
instrument called a grub. 1t is like cabinet
makers gouge, about one and one fourth of an
inch in diameter, with socket into which in
sert a handle, say four or five feet long. With
this instrument one man may go over large
. piece Of ground in day. The method is to take
the grub and cut off thistle, dock, or any thing
that is injurious to the wheat at the surface of
the ground, and leave ii on the spot where it is cut
off. field that has had this dressing will look
c much better; weeds always take the start of the
% wheat and retard the growth. This practice al
ways pays the farmer great price for his labor.
=. Harvesting Wheat
commence cutting my wheat when il is very
al al ~
t. and about as hard as -four dough, which you may
j. know by squeezing the kernel between your fin
% gers l then cut it fast as can, either in fair
weather or not. do not let it lay on the gravel
u on the ground exposed either to the sun or rain,
r. but bind it up in single hands near the but set it
ID up in stocks of eight bundles the ground IN the
80 form OF pair of raiters, the butts far apart as
possible with two sbenis put on the top Tor pro-
lection. In this way it will dry very quick, and
ID the straw will afford nourshment TO the kernels
IA sufficient to prevent it from shrinking too much.
= BY this method find the kernel retains all lis
~ goodness and the straw makes excellent fodder
for neat stock, because il retains all the sap that
the wheat does not absorb. Wheat cured in this
way lhrashes very easy, and will not shell Out by
'h caring to the barn.
's, think farmers are not aware how green they
nd may cut their wheat, and what saving they may
l. have in the quality OF wheat and straw. They
Sc have only try this method, and feel assured
they will find it to their interest.
10 fourth OF an acre of wheat in one lot. When
90 harvested and threshed, had seventy bushels.
UO One full acre was than the three fourtls ;
90 therefore calculate The one acre produced forty
w bushels; and the three fourths at the rate OF
~ thirty eight bushels to The acre. The kind OF
%. wheat sowed was Siberian and red shaft. gen
es orally sow TO the one bushel and half OF
seed | have the most wheat to the acre when
r. sown from the 18th to the Goth Of May. My u.s.
Oh ua crop of wheat is from Is 20 bushels to the
w acre, with common lillage.
Preparation Of Land.
=; plough and harrow my wheat land three or
more times aud harrow between ploughngs till l
=" think it sufficiently mellow before sowing. like
-. the practice, aler sowing the last time, OF going
W. over the ground to have il done with IA light
" hush. 1t leaves the surface ofthe ground smooth
a er aud covers all the bare kernels. seldom car!
mo make my wheat ground too rich or rich enough.
-; apply barn yard manure with about an equal
~ quantity Of leached ashes from my potash, asaes
Wv that | have used for the last twelve or fourteen
irs years tage and moving land in lots IN differ
M ert years from three to eight thousand bushels.
80 After they have been thrown out from the ashery
"n find lcacled ore valuable all tillage land in
u Wv. preventing worms from destroying the seed.
ras A few years since n neighbor Of mine planted
!; n piece ofcorn on his land adjoining mine: sol
ar, naturally about the same. The worms destroyed
,ho his corn before wedding, so that he did not hoe
'n "J it, and had no crop while had from fifty Il
'"' sixty bushels to tile acre. Leached ashes are
good on moving land it spread on the surface
They will prevent Il large white worm which
often cuts off the roots of the grass under thu
surface of the ground. The reason is Obvious
uds They do but lille injury oil ground where leach
hey ed ashes are used. The quantity apply gener
uit, ally TO the acre. is about twelve OK cart loads
lost with ms much more barn yard manure. The farm
late occupy is upland farm, strong and retentlv'
but soil. Leached ashes are good on dry mown!
ted lands, and find from experience, have goo'
all effect on quite q moist soil.
ilh' General Remarks.
'oa- sometimes hear farmers say they do not be
Up Iieve in the idea of book farming. In answer,
';n, would say il my neighbor raises forty bushels o
wheat TO the acre, md another seventy-hve bush
els of corn 10 the acre, another raises from 400
, 800 bushels of potatoes to the acre. and aHoihe
~ cuts from three four tons of hay to the acre
ar which have done for years past, and the land !
o,y not impoverished, is this book farming or an ex
'"' pertinent worth publishing? viii it be know
M, unless it is communicated TO the public in iii
Nv Nv" Farmers Monthly Visitor or some other puhlica
&c" lion? am persuaded il is of importance 10 Far
az" mers TO know how this is done, the kind OF sol
~ on which il is done, and the method OF culhVa
,ovs ton.
10y, 4 think much of the improvements that ar
now making in our country IN farming, ana a.
tho think every farmer ought 10 take or READ an agri
Tue cultural publication for his own benefit and tina
~ OF his sons" to teach the young idea how L
re- shoot" ] am persuaded that the farmer who cal
adj s III 80 do on on or mako twn bushels of when
" grow where he formerly did one, ought 10 com
r.o municate his experience to the public. We com
49,, plain OF hard times, and that the banks do no
',,, discount. The hes, remedy for a farmer is t
nn know that he has bank his farm, and that h
the s % wv o" -, g. Ii; .s,,,en,;on and man
so 'y kinds OF produce to sell, We shall not hear S
, ~ much about hard times. Til. FULLER.
' ,h, Eaosburg, ". March 12, le4l.
ton
nee Yegeiable Cofee.-Th is new article in thi