Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-12-03
AGRICULTURAL.


I'll "a
'ksspIng the surface covered, as a means of
Improving the soil, IL SO valuable to the far
3mer, that every thing that ne can sec or hear
3about II, ought to be acceptable 10 him.
3Thsrefore, II have concluded to give you the
whole chapter on the cultivation Of wheat In
"The Farmer Gaide, ny James Gaskins."
sPermit me 10 give you my opinion as to
wheat. In the FIRST place, procure the best
seed wheat you can obtain, and Instead Of
blowing your fallow in the months of June,
lIuly, or August, you should seed your wheat
in the months ef September aud October, on
| the top Of your clover, and on the hard ground,
Plow your clover and wheat in about four In
ehes together, and as soon as you tuin them
uBder, seed the same ground down In buck
wheat. Then apply large fallow harrow and
\ pulverize the ground Use the harrow in the
same direction that you plowed 1t, then seed
the ground in timothy or orchard grass, and
the clover will seed itself from the crop you
have turned in. Clear out your furrow, so as
to drain the land, and then take as heavy roll
Ter as you can obtain and roll the land cross
ways. You may see from this mode OF seeding
wheat that is all MANFRED In the hill l
have turned under the clover and the soil to-
gether, which manures the wheat.
The buckwheat will come up in SIX or eight
days, and cover the land from the sun. The
clover and timothy win do likewise, and by the
from eighteen inches to two feet high. The
frost will kill the buckwheat, but the straw
will remain which will keep the land warm and
the wheat will remain beautifully green all Win
ter, with tue clover and timothy. Your wheat
will branch from ten to fifteen times, and will
brsnch agaiuin the Spring following. BY thi;
mode of seeding your wheat will be as thick as
it can stand, and as high as your chin.
Il is an undeniable fact, that you will never
fail to make crop by this mode of procedure
The Winter cannot kill your wheat, clover oil
J grass, for the straw, which remains on tbs
land from the buckwheet will preserve and
keep them warm, was observed before.
! Ii there should be a fall of snow together
: lswitll wind, the snow viii lodge ia tho straw
which will retain it and keep It from blowing
off, The crop of straw will prevent the evap
grafton OF the frosts in winter, for as the Nj
! tire that leaves the earth which makes the iros
, on the under side Of plank whict lies on tn,
} ground would evaporate in the air, IL the planl
were not there, SO it is the case with all land
which are LETT in naked and exposed state
fyour lands are covered with grass they viii
retain the Nitre until next day, when II viii
, dissolve and fall back into the soil, thus rem
dering your land constantly richer.
In the spring, SO soon as the hard frosts ar
, over your land should again DO rolled, so as t,
set the wheat and grass back into the soil =
Then your crop will proceed to grow vigorous
iy, and your soil to improve rapidly. You
wheat land il left under clover and timothy
and you should not turn any kind OF stock Of
your stHbble tield; but have our stubble rake
as carefully as possible, by which means yo
will save all your scattered wheat. You shonl
!. by no means pasture any of your lands whic
4 you intend for cultivation and wish to improve
, for the cropping Of the clover or grass expose
/, the lands to the direct rays of the sun, which
" as before observed, carry off by evaporatio
: the richness of the soil.''
! The above was published in 1898, and yet
= do not suppose there is one farmer in thou
: tsand who has adopted the practice. Som
4 have told me, that they were afraid that til
buckwheat would injure the wheat. The
have no cause to entertain such an opinion.-
I In the State of Now York, buckwheat il ofte
sowed with carly wheat, and crop of bucl
: wheat cut off before winter, without any ms
y terial injury to the wheat %. II.
= Wilmington, Del.