Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-01-16
A G RICULT U RE
RAISING WHEAT.

| We make the following extracts from Repo.,
of the Committee on Agriculture, made last spring
to the New York Legislature. 1t is found in the
Transactions OF the N. Y. State Agricultural So
ciey.-Ed. Far. CAD.
suppose farmer now cul.ivates six acres OF
land I'm wheat. TO harvest 100 bushels how is he
10 manase SO as TO grow ] 80 bushels at the same
expense! Ii he can raise 33 l. 3 bushels per acres
on four acres, tina, will give him the amount de-
sired and save the whole cost of cuiivatipy tw =,
acres OF land. This saving may be set down at
So per acre, which will give sic surplus 20 be
expended In purchasing the raw material 10 pro-
uuce me extra DO bushels of wheat on the four
acres to he cultivated by new process AS a.
bout "a per cent. OF ripe wheat plants consist Of
carbon and water, charcoal mus, be an important
eleuent IN fernllzing the soil OF the other 6 per
cent apo' one hall is nitrogen, and the other moi
ely IS nss-ac up ot silica, potash Soda naauesia
aumlna, phosphorus, sulphur. chlorine, and trace
OF iron' Lei tho wheat grower take 100 bushels
OF charcoal, grind it fine In bark mill or pulver.
Use 1t well with fails on a threshinp floor. and
add thereto five bushels of ground plaster. This
would not cost in most farming districts lin this
State over 81, and il the coal and oypsum be
placed In val or large tub and saturated with
the urine OF cattle, or partly mois,ened with HE
iquid excretons oil The human species, and have
i've bushels ofleeched ashes mixed with the mass.
II will contain all the elements of 1873 bushels of
good wheat. In case the urine cannot be had
The addition OF four bushels of salt will give all
Inc Soda and chlorine that are needed, while the
ashes VIII furnish all the potash silica and mar
nesla required. The plaster will weld the sui
phur and lime, and bushe of bone dust will
give the phosphorus. A lille copperas will sun.
ply the necessary iron, and the charcoal will no,
only yield carbon, but it will also absorb ammo
MIA. always found in rain water when il comes
from the clouds.
All these constituents Of wheat can best be an
piled 10 the soil before sowing the seed, but a
Top dressing OF compound of coal, plaster, ash.
es and salt, nolstened with whatever urine can
be collected, may be applied to winter or spring
Whea' IN April or May, with benefit to the crop
Deep 2loughing and thorough draining are in
poflant aids in wheat culture, for reasons which
your committee will I.ct stop TO explain.
he liberal use OF freshly burned lime is ve,v
beneficial by the way OF correcting any acidity OF
SOL and also by absorbing carbon;c acid from
me arr 10 be given up to the of plants, anu
thereby promote their growth. A pint of human
urine contains ammonia enough to supply a BUSH
Ell OF wheat with all the nitrogen it needs. And
II Is worthy OF remark, that wheat we'll supplied
WIN nitrogen In ammonia, will contain from ten
10 twenty per cent. more gluten than it would il
IL lacked that element, while the wheat that a.
bounds In gluten will make from seven to fifteen
per cent. more good bread than the same quantity
OF noui composed almost entirely of starch
III ianders farmers pay forty shiilings, or near
zen o0''aIs year, tor The urine of a single COW
Tor That length o.; lime, 10 be used in The culture
OF wheat and other crops. Common sense would
seem to teach every agricuiluralisl lhai he sboud
restore 10 his fields every particle of the liquid and
solid excreiionS Of all animals that feed uoo,, his
crops.