The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-08-08
Sprouted Wheat.

Sprouted Wheat.
There is no little excitement through
out this and adjoining States about the
damage done by the rain to the harvested
and unharvested crops of grain and hay
1t is not at all surprising that every farmer
should measure his own and his neighbor's
crops in the same half-bushel, and when
ever the sprouts have appeared, not only
think himself totally ruined, but also be-
| lieves famine to be inevitable.
Let US look at the prospect fairly
There is no disputing the fact that in all
the wheat region north of lat 4lo, the
wheat either cut or uncut, is badly sprout-
ed. How great the damage is it is diff
cult to determine, as many farmers have
no precedent to judge by, not having had
such season for several years. Indeed,
we remember only one-it was in the year
1886, though the worst of the wet weather
came somewhat later.
That year the wheat was mostly cut,
and in shocks in the field or in stacks.-
In the great wheat regions of Ohio, Indi-
ana and Illinois, the farmers quite geuer-
ally declared the crop to be totally ruined.
In some fields it did look so, for when it
was uncut the yellow heads assumed a
green shade, and the shocks and stacks
became as green on the surface as the ad-
joining pastures. In due time, however,
the raining period was over, the sprouts
died, the standing grain was cut, the shocks
/ l-oI ,b.I al. IL
bright green hue, and stood rusty-looking
mass OF dry, weathcr-beaten straw; and
yet-mark the result-the wheat inside
was as bright and sound as ever. SO
slight was the injury that it was hardly
perceptible in the final result The shocks
and standing grain were more injured,
but not ten per cent of the grain was de-
stroyed.
i When wheat is sprouted, good win
moving will remove most of the
, injured kernels, which make excellent feed
for animals. If there be predominance
of sprouted grains in the grist that goes
to mill, it is not spoiled for food; it is
f only spoiled for light bread The dough-
| Instead of rising by the ordinary process,
has tendency to hquify and spread out,
and form sticking mass that will not be
kneaded into loaves. 1t makes good un-
leavened bread, and is quite nutritious
, with sweetish taste. BY many persons
) bread made of sprouted wheat is preferred
but in market the least appearance Of
grown kernels will injure the sale. Some
millers even contend that one per cent o
such kernels will injure the quality of the
f whole. 1t is therefore important to the
farmer that he should be very careful to
} keep the sprouted sheaves separate from
the sound, and should also separate the
sound from the unsound grain in winnow-
/ ing, as far as possible.
, The injury of rain upon wheat is quite
overrated in this country, because we are
not well used to it-our harvest weather
being usually so fine that the straw re-
tains its golden brightness till it has been
thrashed. Not so in England. There
the rains are often so incessant that sprout-
ed wheat is very common, aud the busi-
ness of shocking or stacking the sheaves
is an art that commands higher wages than
reaping. There the stacks are always
thatched to preserve them from sprouting
: on the outside, and often built hollow to
dry them on the inside. In this country
we are much more careless. Our wheat
is often exposed to complete soakings.
Much of that grown in the Westis is thrashed
on the ground, and often lies in pile
through long rain, and if warm one
some of the outside grains are sprouted,
but the inside of the pile is uninjured.
We have no doubt that the grain is in
jured by the present wet spell, some ac-
counts of which we continue to give; but
it is not utterly ruinous." We may doubt
whether farmers do not gain more in 9TH
er crops than they will lose in wheat by
rains. Meantime let US console ourselves
: that we are not likely to he destitute of
wheat. A trustworthy writer makes an
estimate "that Ohio will yield the present
season twenty-five millions of bushels, IL
linois eighteen millions, Wisconsin ten
millions, Michigan eight millions, and
Pennsylvania twenty millions" There is
no prospect of famine ~. Y Tribune
, Revolution on the Floor of Congress.
The New York Tribune has caused
. Gerrit Smith to defend his course relative
, to the Nebraska Act, in letter he has
, recently published, in which he discloses
the startling fact that the Fusion Candi-
date for Governor of Ohio, "when the
! time arrived for taking the vote on the
, Nebraska Bill" with Sumner and Other
Abolitionists, Che, Smith, alone dissent.
ing,) "6elseDed there ioas ,soso an occasion
, aohich soo"la justify them IN blocking Ml
|, scheezs of Government, and IN unfitrlins
; the flag of revolution even on the floor soJ
/ Congress.
| Mr.. Smith further says:
"I refused to become party to the
, plan for preventing the taking Of the vote
ON the Nebraska bill. This refusal was
5 great grief to the Abolitionists in bott
t Houses of Congress; the argument which
/ 1 employed, with my excellent friends