Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-06-05
agricultural.
CIorer Fields for wheat.

VI Whedb. II ~ SGDIl NN''"J - A'SSN
careful experiment and the closest obser-
yation of the circumstances attending,
and likely to bear upon each particular
ease. II is the variation in these which
probably accounts for SO remarkable a
difference of opinion; the observer care
lessly noting, or perhaps overlooking
them, and couGping his attention to the
resulting fact exclusively. So large a
portion Of the wheat grower profits de-
pend upon the right management Of his
clover field, that it is well worth his most
serious attention. In conversation at
a gathering recently Of some Of the best
farmers of Virginia, which we find noted
in the Southern Planter, Mr.. Dulaney,
of Loudoun county, stated that in an ex-
pertinent made by his father, he found
the land from which the clover had been
cut, to yield twenty per cent. more than
that which had been grazed. Others
gave their testimony most emphatically
in favcr of very close grazing, while
others again would neither NOW nor
Craze.
Mr.. Douthat, of Charles City county,
works upon the four shift rotation, fall
lowing his clover deld for wheat. On a
field Of 10 to 100 acres he grazes forty
head Of cattle, twenty mules and fifty
sheep; makes fine crops and had doubled
his crop of wheat in one rotation. Has
lined his land literally. Mr.. Selden, of
Westovcr, grazes as closely as possible.
Turns his cattle on as soon as they can
get bic; will make no wheat if he does
not. Mr. Taylor, of Breno, who, as well
as Mr.. Selden, took the Society's honor
airy testimonial as one of the twelve best
farmers of Virginia, also grazes closely.
He manurcs, however, every foot of his
land during the rotation, from the re-
sources of his farm, and applies the ma
nure altogether to clover. Mr.. Dula-
ney, on the other hand prefers cutting off
the crop to grazing, and relates the ex-
pertinent Of his father above mentioned ;
says the farmers of Clarke will not Craze
at all, (but does not say that they NOW
the CROP and that one of them said he
would sooner have forty devils, than forty
head Of cattle on his field The late
Fielding Lewis, it was likewise stated,
would have his clover cut on shares soon
er than Craze it Or leave it on the land
Lewis A. Harvie, Of Amelia, did not
Craze at all for sixteen years, and We in
fer, though it is not so stated, that he
did not NOW; says his land was more
productive in corn, tobacco and oats, but
less SO in wheat; of late he grazes ex-
:ersively and makes more wheat.
The practice Of some of the best wheat
growers in Maryland which has come
under our observation, is not what can
be called close grazing, nor do they ap.
prove of moving. We believe it is uni
versally desired to have the field as close
y grazed as it can be before ploughinl
for wheat, but very few we think turn
on sufficiently early or in sufficient fore
to keep down the first growth. The ain
is rather to allow the crop to approach
maturity, or at any rate to be pretty wei
in bloom, and then put on stock enoug'
TO overrun and tread it closely to th
ground. II allowed to stand withou
grazing, the stems become dry and stick,
and decompose less readily. When tram
rled down, it covers and shades the groun
flcly, lying near the ground the mois
ture causes rapid decay, and the secon
crop. springing through early with il
attendant moisture, helps the process
A field we'll managed in this way, wi
be found much more clear of filth tina
might be supposed from so large mas
of vegetable matter, and the surface wi
have the benefit of very enrichin
mulch. The after growth of clover
pretty well grazad-:he closer the hettt
for tho wheat crop.
Between close grazing from the star
or rs soon as the cattle eau get Bit
and moving, we should greatly prefer ii
latter, independent of the experimei
mentioned by Mr. Dulancy, An inc
dental advantage of moving, and We,
important one in some sections, is TIL
it effectually prevents all weeds frol
seeding. Sometimes their name is |,
gion, and many of them very perniciou
Blu. it must be likewise borne in mine
that to get the full benefit Of a crop
clover it is important to have full d.
se 4. sle reefs a.; well veil as f 4
stem and leaves, and these are deve
oped mainly pari passu with the growt
above ground. 1t lis said that the growt
ander ground will be Of equal weigh
with that above. IF the growth aboy
ground is checked BY close grazing
will be equally SO underneath, and nc
cnly is the amount of vegetable matte
lessene6 to that degree, but the advan
tage of the deeply penetrating roots whic
dip down into the snb-soil and open tn
whole stratum of soil and sub-soil to til
action of the atmosphere, is also lost =
On the other hand, if left undisturbed ii
the crop blooms, the roots will have at
tanned full growth, and when the Gro
is cut they are in condition to push rap
idly forward the after crop, increasing
their own bulk at the same time. o.
light soils there may be great advantag
to the wheat crop from the treading G
the cattle in grazing, but on other &C
counts, the cutting of would seem deei
dedly to be preferred.
The whole matter is one worthy of tn
most careful observation and experiment
and it is rather to invite attention to il
than to express any decided opinion q
to the merits Of the various modes c
treatment, that we have made these re
marks.-Am. Farmer.
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