Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-09-24
AGRIGULTURAL b.


,paA- Just at this niche of time a friend has
furnished us with this article on wheat which
We recommend to our readers.
Suggestions on Sowing Wheat.
Some of our CORRESPONDENTS tell rather pitt
full stories respecting the wheat crop in their
respective localities, and they speak strongly
Of its culture being wholly abandoned. But
such reports are confined to a very few sec
tons, and these of limited extent. So far as
we can learn, the past crop has been compar-
atiyely n good one, and farmers are preparing
the ground for sowing quite as largely as in
past years. This we believe to begood policy.
Wheat is still u safe crop when compared
with other staple farm productions. 1t is so
well adapted to universal consumption that it
will always find u ready market. No other
product Of the farm is better adapted for
transportation to any part Of the world when
il may be needed. Few places are so remote
from market that wheat cannot generally be
converted into cash ut all seasons Of the year,
and no other crop has uniformly maintained
40 high comparative prices as this. The par
tial decline during the present year has led
many to fear a return to the low prices Of for
mel years, but we think this cannot be rea-
sonaJly looked for. The great increase Of
gold in our country has changed the old ra-
tics Of value, and all kinds Of farm produce
have felt the influence much more than man.
ufaCtured goods. Wheat is now but little
higher compared with other crops, than it was
i've or ten years ago, and we see no reason
for its sinking any lower in the comparative
scale. Temporary causes may produce a gen.
eral depression OF prices in farm products as
we'll as in everything else, but every consid.
Grafton leads us TO believe that farmers may
calculate upon receiving remunerative if not
decidedly profitable returns for all the wheat
they can raise hereafter. We have annually
given n chapter Of suggestions at this season,
in reference to the time, manner Of sowing;
Of Wheat, and we cannot do better at this
time than to repeat in substance what we sta
ted last year.
So far rs our observation has extended
limestone lands or clay lands lined have gen
orally been found to be the best soils fU
Wheat. The best Wheat soils in the Gen
csee County" are good loans which are flleC
with encrenitic limGstones, that is, limestone
filed with organic or mineral remains. Elk
p%erience, however, is a better test of the ad
aptability Of the soil and locality to Wheat
growing, than any arbitrary rules that can b
laid down. There are comparatively few farm
which do not contain more or less Whea
land. There are on almost all farms, man
acres which may be sown in Wheat with tn
prospect Of only half n crop, to better advar
tagc than to let them lie in stubble or poo
pasture. The opinion that all grass land mus
be plowed previous to harvest, and lie som
time as Summer fallow, is erroneous. A me,
dow or pasture may be turned over in Septen
Der, and Wheat sown directly upon the il
vertcd sod. Such land should be well ha
rowed after blowing, and if very poor, q Zig
coating of rotted manure or guano be workt
into the surface to supply the necessities
the plant until the decay Of the underlyiI
sods. Stubble lands, whether Of Oats, Whe
or Barley, may also be sown proftably, if
coating Of manure or guano be applied Al
it is even better to obtain n half or two-thir
crop, than to let such ground lie idle for
whole year. Those who understand well t
philosophy Of mapuring, find no difficulty
getting rcmuner2tive crops Of Wheat eve
year from the sam field, though o rotation
crops isalways advisable, where it can be do
without contracting the amount of the mt
important crop.
SELECTION OF SEED.
This thould be attended to before as W
ns nfter threshing. The wheat ripening eal
est should invariably be saved for seed. I
manner Of throshing is important. WI
wheat is cT0lcded through a machine W
close-setting, sharp teeth, a great number
80 ASAANAo a. bAbhShp ~ NIuSuIu 81 III
destroy the germ, though the facture N
not be perceptible to the eye, at least wi
out careful inspection. We have coun
ten to twenty FIVE in a hundred kernels Il
spoiled for seed. We have %latterly recC
mended to place the whole sheaves upon
barn-iloor, and beat off with the frail
largest aud best kernels for seed and d
lay aside the sheaves to be run throug
machine afterwards. Tive men will reaI
beat of thirty to sixty bushels of seed
day, If the threshing-aoor is adjacent to
w~heat.mow, since a very little beating
take out half or more of the grain.
Select The largest, purest kernels for seec
To pass over the generally established D
ciple that " like produces like" there !,
important consideration that we have
seen referred to by writer's on the selec
oil various kinds Of seed. Every seed
tains not only the germ Of the future pl
but also a supply Of nourishment for the
wants OF the young shoot. The germ of
wheat seed is very small, and the great
OIL tho kernel is compos d of what must n
ish the germ until it has sent forth root
to the soil and leaves into the air. IF
the kernel be small or 8 riyeled. the y,
shoot will lack for nourishment, wilt
poor start, apdfor a long time have but a