Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-03-17

u tsI- T AIVNtIE
Cultivation Of Wheat.

its failure proves great detriment to
all branches ofindustry, and more par.
tlcularly to that branch pertaining to
agricultural pursuits. The failure Of this
crop for single season, as may we'll be
supposed, proves highly dishartning to
farmers, since i'll that one single article
OF production centres their main hopes
for the current year.
1t therefore becomes matter of qraue
Importance to agricultuerlists. to INQUIRE
II possible, into the causes which render
thus crop SO uncertain in its results
winch SO Otter, after pLoElislng seed
time, breaks the husbandmans hopes at
the harvest. The question may be
asked, is the frequent failure OF the
wheat crop IN the west, owing to the
SOIL, the mode of cultivation or to the
occasional adversities of the climate
The experience Of more than one cen
fury has demonstrated q soil upon which
white and bur oak are principal timber,
and the water is hard, thus containing
ilme) is superior to all other soils Tor the
production of wheat. Maple land is
considered next in point Of adaptibilty
to white and bur oak land for wheat,
and is on the whole preferable for corn
and Timothy grass, as these crops are
supposed to mature more rapidly and
better, IN the average OF seasons, on the
former, than on the latter description of
lands, Leaving the growth and matur-
ity of Timothy grass for settlement at
future period, it may be properly stated
that where the cultivation is thorough,
and the seasons are warm, and not too
dry, our bur oak lands produce crops Of
Indian corn, not often surpassed, as re-
CARDS the quality of the grain, or the
amount of the product.
The quality Of the -four manufactured
from wheat grown upon white and bur
oak soil is reputed to be superior to -four
manufactured from wheat grown upon
other kinds of soil This fact has been
most singularly demonstrated by the in
PRODUCTION Of foreign wheats for seed,
which at first were hard and tiintv, but
| became soft and the flour considerably
whittier after few years cultivation in
| Wisconsin. Do these facts, or do they
not, demonstrate the adaptability OF
the soil for the production OF wheat
AS bur and white oak are found to be
the prevailing timber in the occasional
greNeS on our prairies, il -requires no
| argument to prove to which class Of soil
they belong. II indeed any other argu-
ments were wanted they would be found
in the very nature of the soil itself.
Providence having provided boun-
tttul soil in large portion of Wiscon-
sin and Illinois; soil we'll adopted to
the production Of one Of the most need
FIJI articles Of food for man, we must look
to the caprices of the climate, or to the
manner Of managing the soil, and to the
mode of cultiyation, to account for what
ever uncertainties exist in the produc-
ton of wheat.
BY some it is thought that the absence
OF deep and long continued snow and
the frequent open winters iii Wisconsin
would prevent the successful growth Of
winter wheat, but the example Of Eng
land, where the winters are VIGOROUSLY
more open than those Of this State, and
where the product of wiItcr grains are
not surpassed any where in the world,
neither as to quality or quantity, would
appear to preclude such conclusion.
| 1t would probably be found that sab
soil ploring would do more than all
other causes combined to obviate the
present uncertainties of the wheat crop
in Wisconsin. The agricuturlists of
England subsoil pillow their land once in
four or five years and therein lies the |
main secret of success. The advantage
to be obtained from subSoil blowing can
no where be so considerable as in the
prairie and oak opening soils. On the
surface ofthese soils we find are alluyial, |
the accumulation Of decayed grass and
other vegetables, for several ages, and no
doubt but this alluvial, the debris of
burned and decayed Vegetables, in all
warm and rainy seasons, stimulate to
rapidly the growth of wheat, for full
and healthy development Of grain.
If a person were to SOW wheat upon
q heap of fully decaycd barn yard ma
nure, he would at its maturity find a
rank growth Of straw, long straight
head, but not particle Of grain. But
mix this decayed barn yard manure in
proper quantities with good com
pact soil, and instead of destroying the
wheat, it would be the means Of aug
menting the quantity.
These quickening materials lying so
profusely on the surface of the soil act
as too powerful stimulant for tie grow
ing crop in all warm and moist, or what
are called growing seasons" and thus
when the seasons are considered to be
the most propitious for the growth Of
agricultural products, and the growth Of
the wheat straw is unusually large, is |
the husbandmans' hopes sure to be dis
appointed at the maturity Of his crop
At the very time when he anticipated
large yield, he finds an abundant supply |
OF straw, and but scanty product Of
grain.
Some individuals drink active stimu-
lants to add to their powers Of physical |
endurance, so also some crops in certain
conditions Of soil and weather may
drink too active a stimulant from the |
surface of the land and though both
the individual and the growing crop
may exhibit an unusual boyancy for al
period, yet at maturity both alike pres.
ent but a shrunken and shriveled APP
pearance. 1t would no doubt in both
cases be better to mix the stimnlant with
the more substantial food as well calcu-
lated to produce a more favorable re-
suit. The question is then as to the
remedy. AS it regards the individual it
is very plain if he would have a healthy
and sound old age let him use only such