Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-10-01
AGRLGULTUR A l..
Suggestions on Sowing Wheat.
[CoNcLUDED.
SOW WHEAT EARLY

SOW WHEAT EARLY'
Every years experience and observation
show more and more plainly the Importance
Of sowing wheat carly. One half or more
of the reports from the wheat crop during
two years past contain in substance the fol-
lowing: "Early SOW wheat is good, but
late sown is winter-killed," or " injured by
the insects" Wheat should get ueH root
Ell before frost sets in. The long roots
will be far less liable to be thrown out by
frost. Nature is a good teacher; as soon
as the old crop is ripe the seeds fall to the
ground aud growing again.
North of latitude 42o it would be better
if every grain of seed wheat were in the
ground early in SEPTEMBER. From 400 to
220, wheat sowing should be finished by
the FIRST week in October.
METHOD OF SOWING WHEAT.
Every person raising twenty or thirty
acres of wheat can well afford to purchase
seeddrill, unless he can join a ncighbor
in buying one. Some of the advantages
ofdrilliugin wheat, instead ofsowing broad
est, may be summed up as follows:
The seed is put into the ground at a
uniform depth, the plants come up evenly,
grow evenly, and ripen at the same time.
A much smaller quantity of seed is re-
qulrcd, because no allowance need be made
for portions left partially covered, or COW
cred too deeply I; nor for a larger number
of seeds falling together, as usually hap
pens in broadcast sewing. Nearly half a
bushel Of seed per acre may be saved,
which, with the present high price of wheat,
would pay the cost of a seed-sower the first
year, upon a large farm or where seyera.
small farmers unite in purchasing one.
Where the plants grow at uniform dis
tances the light and air enter more freely
and a more vigorous growth is secured :
Direct experiments have shown that wher,
the heads of wheat stand we'll apart the ker
nels upon each head are plumper and Otter
more. than double the number of those up
on heads growing closely together.
With the plants at equal distances, tn
roots occupy the whole soil, and do not in
terfere with each other, and there is a great
err certainly Of using up all the f~ortilize
applied to the ground.
Next to drilling in wheat we recon
mend blowing it in with shallow furrowi
In this method the grain is covered mol
uniformly with the pillow than it would |
with a barrow the plants com up in row
and admit light and air and as they star
between the small ridges the soil from tho
will crumble down with frost, and fallir
around the roots, will be partially equiv
lent to hoeing. OF course the groul
should not be touched with harrow, roll
or brush after the wheat is plowed in.
MANUREs FOR WHEAT.
These must be varied to meet the cone
ton Of the soil. Where the ground is &C
and wet, and consequently contains deca
ed vegetable matter, alkalies such as ne
lyslacked lime or unleached ashes, are big
ly valuable. In soils not Astounding alrC
dy in sulphate of iron in some form, plast
Of Paris is an excellent fertilizer, as it
to speak-catches ammonia from the
and from rain water, and thus suppl
wheat with one Of Its best stimulants.
Barn-yard manures of all kinds are alws
good. We recommend less rotting or co
posting than is usually practiced let
manure, even TO long straw, be kent fr
fermenting, and get it under the surf
soil, where it will without fail decay ora,
ally and furnish just the nourishment ne
ed. II this is done there will not D
Waste'of the greater part of the best