Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-05-22

suitable machines for properly cleansing it
but many mills are now provided with smut
machines, which cleanse it perfectly, so that
the -four from buckwheat raised in Massaehu-
sets, and prepared by them, is of as good a
quality as that brought from New York. We
commend the subject to our farmers generally,
and offer for their perusal the following arti-
Gle, from the Country Gentiemen, which is the
weekly issue of the Albany cilltirator, an ag-
rcultural work, whose reputation is uniyer-
sally known:-
Culture of Buckwheat.
Editors Country Gentleman In my last, l
said something by way of calling your atten-
ton to the cultivation of buckwheat which
is getting to be, next to wheat, the most i'm
portant crop in the State of New York. l
have deferred writing, in the hope of obtain
ing some more digested Information in relation
to its culture, number of bushels per acre,
amount raised in this town, &c. Not having
in nay possession any means of ascertaining
these important facts, must content myself
with giving such general statements as come
within my range of observation.
And first, by the Patent Office Report for
1912 you will see that the number Of bush
els grown in this State is 3,l83, $50, which is
nearly as much as all the rest of the United
States put together. The average price per
bushel is fifty cents for the last twenty years.
The demand in general appears to be little
above the supply The standard weight per
bushel understand, has been established
within year or two at fifty pounds. You
will perceive by this weight, that it is a more
profitable grain to feed than oats, which weigh
about SO lbs. to the bushel. Many farmers
adopt the practice of feeding the buckwheat
and selling their oats in market.
The productper acre varies according to the
quality of the soil, mode of culture, adapted
ness Of season, &c. 1t was formerly consid-
cred, compared with others, somewhat un-
certain crop, but the experience of some years
past has satisfied me that it is not more uneer-
tain than most other summer crops.
The time of sowing varies from about the
20th June to the 4th July. Some have sowed
as early as the 10th June, and others as late
as the 18th July. If sowed too early, it is
liable to blast, and if sown too late, is liable
to frost. The general principle appears to be
to seed at about such time, as to bring the
grain to such a state Of maturity as not to be
affected by the dry and parching winds that
usually prevail before the autumnal equinox.
The mode of culture has varied cousidera-
bly, since my recollection. 1t was formerly
the custom to reserve the poorest land for
buckwheat. 1t was considered great re.
proach to land to say it would produce "only
buckwheat." The practice was to break up
swarth land early in the spring, and let it lie
until about seeding time, and then cross-pIow
and seed. The practice now, among good
farmers generally, is to sheep the fields in
tended for the crop as long as can be done be-
fore sowing, and pillow but once.
It'll money crop; as soon as thrashed it
will bring fifty cents, the bushel, mostly at the
barn. The time is very short; 72days from SOW
ing to thIeshing maybe considered as the short
est time. There is but very little difference,
however, between early and late sowed, as to
the time of ripening. es -ess@
AS to manure. No crop will feel manure
of any kind, or in any state, SO quick as buck
wheat. Barnyard manure, whether green or
rotted ashes, lime, plaster, all seem to pro-
duce wonderful effect when applied to this
crop. Guano, SO far as my knowledge ex-
tends, has not been tried, but have no doubt
that the effect would be considerable per
cent. above that Of any other manure, barn
yard manure not excepted. 1880
The general impression formerly was that
it was an exhausting crop. l have OF late
years been in the habit Of observing prettv
closely as to this opinion, and have recently
coIyersed with some of our most intelligent
and enterprising farmers in relation to. this
subject. The general opinion is that, COM
pared with other crops, it is not exhausting.
One gentleman in particular remarked to me
recently, that it was his decided opinion that
no crop we could grow, left the land in SO
good filth as buckwheat. He remarked far
ther as a reason, that the land was titled At
that season of the year when every green thing
that was uprooied by the plow, was DESTROYED
that the growth Of the grain was SO rapid
as wholly to smother and prevent the growth
of grass or weeds of any description. { will
remark here that in relation to nv own ex-
perience, good growth Of buckwheat. fol-
lowed by oats, and seeding heavily with clo-
yer, almost entirely eradicates the Canada
thistle. W
have always heard that corn after buck
wheat would be failure. Why it is SO. is a
fit question, it appears to me, for our agricul-
tural chemists to settle.
4 As to the yield per acre, l cannot saw with
accuracy. l will hazard, however, this gem
eral statement, that the average number Of
bushels per acre is double the number of
bushels of wheat per acre throughout the
State. 6. w. DuRANr. Renssezosrvslie. Fsb.
l6. 1854. albany Cultieator.
A WARNrNe.-On Tuesday MORNING. = n.
tie girl named Ellen McCirath. ATTENDING
school in Northampton, some eight Or nine
old hox t,t,