Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-04-23
From DeRoW,s Review.

ly preferred to all other grains, and next 10 maze
is the most important crop in the Oniteo Stales :
not only on account of its general use lof oreau
but for its safety and convenience LOT eAPot1aton
1t is not known to what country 1t IS Indigenous
any more than our other cultivated cereals, all Of
which. no doubt, have been essentially improved
by man. By some, wheat Is considered to have
been coeva with the creation, as it is known that
upwards of a thousand years before our era 1t was
cultivated and superior variety had been obtained
1t has steadily followed the progress of civilization
from the earliest times, in all countries where II
would grow.
The introduction of this grain into the North
American colonies dates back to the earliest period
of their settlement by Europeans. 1t was first
sown. with other grains, on the Elizabeth Islands,
in Massachusetts,, by Gosnold, at the time he eX-
plored that coast in 1911. In 1911, wheat as well
as other grains was sown in Virginia. and by the
wear l64S there were cultivated many hundred
acres in that colony. Although premiums were
offered as an encouragement Of its growth IN 1851
it was not much cultivated for more than centu-
~ after in consequence of the illdrected attention
to the culture of tobacco.
Wheat was introduced into the valley OF the
Mississippi by the &" Western Company" in l7l8,
where from the careless mode of cultiVating 1t by
the early settlers and the sudden alterations OF
temperature it would only yield from five to eight
fold running to straw and blade, without filling
the ear In 1746, however, the culture had so far
extended that six hundred barrels OF flour were re-
ceivcd at New Orleans from the Wabash; and, by
the year 1850 the French of Illinois raised three
times as much wheat as they consumed, and large
quantities of grain and flour were sent to the same
place.
Prior to the revolution the primitive soils of New
York, New jersey, and Of New England, appear
not to have rewarded the cultivation of this grain
much, if any, beyond the wants of the Inhabitants
Considerable quantities were raised on the Hudson,
and in some parts of New jersey and Pennsylva-
mia, which were exported to the West Indies and
New England, and to Great Britain, France, Por-
tugal and Spain, in years of scarcity, previous to
1923.
In 1776, there was entailed upon this country
an enduring calamity, in consequence of the intro
duction of the Hessian or wheat fly, which was
supposed to have been brought from Germany In
some straw, employed in tie debarkation of Howes
troops on the west end of Long Island. From
that~point the insect gradually spread in various
directions, at the rate of twenty thirty miles
year, and the wheat of the entire regions east of
the Alleghanies is more or less infested with
the arva, as well in large portions of the states
bordering on the Ohio and Mississippi, and on the
great lakes and so great have been the ravages
of these insects, that the cultivation of this grain
has in many places been abandoned.
The geographical range of the wheat region in
the Eastern Continent and Australia lies principal
ly between the 3Oth and Goth parallels of north
latitude, and between the 3Oth and 10th degrees
south, being chiefly confined to France, Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Russia,
Denmark Norway, Sweden, Poland, Prussia,
Netherlands, Belgium Great Britain, Ireland
Northern and Southern Africa, Tartary, India
China, Australia, Van Dieman's Land, and Japan.
Along the Atlantic portions of the Western Con-
tnent it embraces the tract lying between the 3Oth
and 5Oth parallels, and in the country westward
of the Rocky Mountains one or two more degrees
further north. Along the west coast Of South
America, as we'll as in situations within the Torrid
Zone, sufficiently elevated above the level Of the
sea- and properly irrigated by natural artificial
means, abundant crops are often produced.
The principal districts of the United States in
which this important grain is produced in the
greatest abundance, and forms leading article of
commerce, embrace the states of New York, New
jersey, Pennsylvania Delaware, Maryland, Vir-
gina, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The chief varie-
ties cultivated in the Northern and Eastern States
are the white flint tea, Lberian, bald, Black sea,
and the Italian spring wheat. In the Middle and
Western States, the Mediterranean, the Virginia
white May, the blue stem, the Indiana, the Ken
lucky white bearded, the old red chaff, and the
Taayara. The yield varies from ten to forty BUSH
els, and upwards, per acre, weighing per bushel
from hfty-eight to sixty-seven pounds.
1t appears that on the whole crop of the Uni
ted States, there was gain during the ten years
of 15,645,378 bushels. The crop of New Eng
land decreased from 2,O14,OO to 1,O79,OO bush
els, exhibiting decline of $4,000 bushels, and
indicating the attention of farmers has been much
withdrawn from the culture of wheat Grouping
the States, from the Hudson to the Potomac, in
Guiding the District of Columbia, it appears that
they, produced in 1849, $685., 900 bushels, a.
was an increase of ,122, 900 bushels These States
embrace the oldest wheat-growing region of the
country, and that in which the soil and climate
seem to be adapted to promote the permanent
culture of the grain. The increase of production
in ten years has been 6272, 900 bushels, equal to
1876 per cent. The area of titled land in these
States is 100000 acres, only thirty per cent of
the whole amount returned; while the proportion
of wheat produced is forty-sx per cent In North
Carolina there has been an increase of 10000
bushels; but in the Southern States, generally,
there was considerable decrease. indiana, Iii
nois, Michigan and Wisconsin, contributed to the
general aggregate, under the sixth census, only
100000 bushels; under the last, they are shown
to have produced upwards of 25,OOO,0OO bushels,
an amount equal to the whole increase in the Uni
ted States for the period.
When we see the growth of wheat keeping up
with the progress of population in the oldest States
OF the union, we need have no apprehension of de-
cline in the cultivation of this important crop.
The amount of flour exported from New jersey.
in 1851, was 6,424 barrels. From Philadelphia,
IN 1882 125.96o barrels besides SO 500 bushels