Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-11-08
No. N x,LvII.

secured BY sowing the earlier varieties OF whe:f,
and partly by manuriDg in the Fall. VI al tne
manures used for wheat, no one hasteDs u 70
maturity 90 well as ashes; but the supply OF
i these is too limited on any one farm, to play q
very conspicuous part 10 bringing about an esriy
harvest. 800. {,
! Whether mauures are applied or not, the
Drill has been found to render efficient service
| in securing the wheat against the injuries OF
Winter. Its advantages are admitted, wherever
it has been fairly tested yet Its use is fer from
being general throughout the county, The num-
Der of drills, however, rapidly increasing every
wear. Where one man, farming on small
scale thinks he cannot afford drill of bis own,
he Joins his Beigbbor In the purchase of one, and
both reap the benefit of its use. @.il is !.
| II may be we'll in this connection, to sum up
few of the principal advantages arising from
the use of the drill 10 seeding wheat J.. "The
quantity Of seed may be regulated to suit the
quality of the soil, the climate, ard the time OF
sowing. In climates where the Winters are se-
we're, some of the plants almost always perish,
and for this some allowance must be made IN de-
termining the quantity Of seed to be sppied'--
So northern exposures require more seed than
those lying towards the south and east. q. a
smaller quantity of seed is required than is used
on the same soil in broadcast sowing partly from
the uniformity with which the grains are dis
tributed, and partly from the increased vigor
given to tho plants by the admission Of air and
light between the rows. 3. The depth is uniform
and may be suited to the SOIL Heavy soils ad-
nit more shallow planting than those that are
light and porous. f. Small quantities OF such
fertilizers as guano, ashes, plaster, &C., can be
applied more directly to the wheat, and with
more uniformity, by the proper kind OF attach
ment' to the drill, than in any other way"
An important improvement connected with
the harvesting of wheat is the introduction of the
"Reaper"-Mc Cormick's is the one most gener,5
ally in use. The great obstacle to the use OF the
reaper, is the rough and uneven character OF
much of the best wheat land OF the county,
The use of this instrument has several important
advantages over the cradle 10 harvesting. In
the first place. it enables the farmer to substitute
horse power for hand power, which diminlshes
the expense of gathering his crop. In the seq
ond place, the work is done more thoroughly u
than It can be by hand. When the wheat is 'e-a
ven toleraby erect, the machine will not leave o
stalk standing, IT properly managed. "a
The average weld of the wheat harvest, from
year to year, in Augusta is variously estimated,
at from to 12 bushels per acre; perhaps we
might take 10 bushels as rather above than. be-
low the average for the whole county. But 50
little attention is given to estimates of this kind,
that no very reliable data can be collected 1t
seems to be matter of doubt with many intel
ligent farmers, whether the product per acre 10 z
increasing or diminishing. My5own impression
is, that it has increased very considerably since
the last census was taken. Yeti, think IL has
not kept pace with the improvement in the corn
crop. With soil so well adapted,.to wheat,
there is no sufficient reason for keeping the. pro.
duct Of this important crop at go low q fgure.--
If the lands Of the county were brought up to
that grade of Improvement of which they are
readily susceptible, the average yield might he
easily raised to 20 bushels instead OF 10. - q.
Those who live 10 the eastern part of the State,
are sometimes surprised to find so little unground
wheat sent to market from the valley counties.
Such would not be the case, however, If they
could pass along one or two OF the many rapid
streams of Augusta, or one OF the nelghborl1g
counties, and see the numerous Touring mills,
ever busy in preparing the wheat for market
Flour commands about the same price as would
be realized for the wheat, from which it is made;
but. being more compact in form, and of consid-
erably less weight than the wheat, it IL carried
to market at much less cost The expense OF
barrelng is fully balanced by the value of the
ofal, which is highly esteemed as food for COWS,
calves and pigs. 80.
Oats.-The ost crop, as before stated, is fall.
ing rapidly into disesteem in this county. Ma
ny have given its culture altogether; yet ma
ny others who regard it as an Improbable Drop
In itself, continue it's culture as preparatory for
wheat. In this case it is generally sown upon
land which has been in corn the previous sea-
son. Some farmers, too, consider grass and clio.
YER seed, sown aod lightly narrowed, or other 9
wise slightly covered, at the time of sowing oats
as afordng the best chance for good stand
In one of the systems of rotation in crops, to
be considered hereafter, we sball find oats
still claiming respectable position among our
cultivated grains, with some of our best far
lners. ~ j. L. CAMPBELL.
RashinQton College, October, 1859. ~ n