Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-07-28
Gbt fatm 4 @arb:n:
Manuling the Wheat Crop.
IFfom The Country GsntIemsn.j


In the ralmy days of wheat growing in
Western and Central New York. the sp-
pGcstion OF active manures directly to fhis
GRIP was no, geners.ly praetined. The
opinion widely prevailed tina; such Q course
sss injurious, BY stimulating heavy growth
Of straw at the expense OF the grain, and in
the rsnkpess and suscuiency of the former,
increasing the liability TO lodge. and tend
ing also to produce rust and mildew in the
standing grsin. In some instances, 10 doubt
high msnuring has been followed by such
results, but in many more. large crops of
wheat have rewarded the application. We
tsok occasion some eight years ago. to urge
the subject upon the attention of our brother
farmers. ard the current of events infuen-
cling the wheat crop during that time, has
5ropeht 1t far more forcibly upon their At.
tention.
We throw away our seed and labor, now
s-dsys, in sowing sny but Rich, warm. quick
coils to wheat. We must get large growth
of healthy. early maturing plants, or the
wheat midge viii destroy the whole product.
This we have urged in former ar'icle. and
will revert more strictly to the subject in.
ticsfed in our heading
OF oil grains, says chemical snalysis
wheat has In it more Liirogenous substances
than any other. Fifteen per cent. of the
organic matter Of the grain Of wheat belongs
TO this class. Although thsisirsw may grow
iuxurianilv, the grain cannot be formed
without il sUp to the formation of the
Kernels" rays writer on this subject
"orsinar7 soils. with rain, dew, and air, can
furnish and grow the wheat plant. But when
it comes to the .ruiting pert, the plant has
TO seek in the soil for msterials out Of which
to fabricste its seed. 1t is necessary, there
fore, that there be in such soil what we
farmers call nutritive or puirescent manI'e
Asomefhing out of which Nitrogen can be
formed" This is furnished in barn.vard
msnure, and other fertilizers of like char
acter. These in a partiafly decomposed
state. (and hence furnishing almost imme-
disiely nutriment for the crop,) we would
apply to favorable soils before sowing them
with wheat.
Many farmers have been in the habit of
applying their stock or yard manure in q
green or long state in the spring. to land
intended for corn; reserving little or none
for composing, or for application to the
wheat crop. Blu: this practice is becoming
le.s general, and We now find frequently
those who prefer keeping the manure in
the yard until well decomposed, and placir g
il in heaps for use the next season; apply
ing il also upon winter grain, il they sow
il, and as top-dressing for grass land
This course is usually very successful
Though land heavily manured for corn will
produce good crops of wheat and barley fol-
lowing. il is seldom that the area which
may be 30 manured and devoted, embraces
half the extent we desire for growing grain,
which would ,oduce itifenriched sufficient
F. Hence we see that we need more man
ure, as well as TO study the most effective
application of the same.
More manure may be had oy composing
that obtained from our farm stock with veg
etsb.e HoldAthe muck Of swamps and mar
shes-the turf and wash Of roads-the scra-
pings of pondssnd bitches. We have doubled
the amount and value of our yard manure
BY mixing it with muck from the swamp.
and fermenting the same together in heaps
.doosely laid up p'dnd properly moistened.-
This was used at the rate of twelve loads
per acre on land sown in wheat last autumn,
being merely gang-plowed in before sowing.
A small plot not dressed, shows very
marked difference-the growth is less than
half Of that on the manured portion, and
the product will be of little OF any value.
We hope the lesson OF the past few years
will not be lost on those who begin. after
ell, TO think the wheat midge less the enemy
of the farmer than bis own improvident
course in cropping with this grain. If II
shall induce rs to a better enriching and
cultivation of the soil. and more careful
study Of the nature and demands of our diff
ferent crops, it will prove to the country al
large blessing and not curse. If it leads
the mass of farmers, as it has many of ftheml
to employ every available means of increa.
sing the qunntity and quality of the manure
made upon their farms, and to study atten-
lively the most effective application of the
same for growing the most profitable crops
it will do mvre for tie advancement of agri.
culture than almost any other means that
sre- likely to be employed. We would
therefore urge immediate attention to- the
preparation of mannre for applying to the
wheat crop. and from our own experience
and observation, think that composted ma
nure, mixed with the surface coil by har.
rowing or very shallow blowing. will prove
Of the greatest benefit to the crop. This
method is practised by the most successful
wheat-growers Of the present day.