The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-12-08
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
IFor the Country Gentleman and Cult vatorl
CHARACTERISTIC OF FIFE SPRTNc
WHEAT


The variety of wheat has been grown ex-
tensively the last three seasons in the west
and northwest, and proves to be SO valuable,
that l think every wheat cullivator in the
United States Is, or may be. interested in
knowing something more about its habits
and qualities, than has yet come under the
public notice at laest, so far as lam aware,
from considerable agricul ural reading
Though to some, its name might so imply.
this wheat is NOT Scotch origln-does not
get its name from the country Of Fife. but
from the name of its originator, Dir. David
Fife of Onsonabee. G.. w. who saved few
roots of q tOinter variety that he obtained
from Dentzc. via Scotland, believe. and
subsequently, cultivated the produce as a
spring Wheat.* ] will say-aft thirty
years experience in wheat culture-that I
have seen no variety of spring wheat thai
contained so many useful qualities. and
therefore 80 widely adaptable. as the Cana
da Fife in Wisconsin. Il is very hardy.
and therefore less liable to rust or mildew
and othtr diseases than other known varieties.
i is later than Canada Club. and does not
ripen of so rapidly il therefore is more
conveniently and economically harvested.
particularly as il has the great advantage of
crop. even when dead ripe, being Compare
lively free from loss, therefore, in grading
rsaping. or other harvesting routine. 1t
grows few inches taller than Club: about
90 stiff. which is quite strong in the straw.
snd consequently stands up we'll. not lodg-
ing except in very rich situations.
The Fife wheat threshes easy enouqh.
and is much less cat or broken. BY the horse
machines, than the Club or Rio Grande.
Indeed. my Fife was not broken in thresh-
ing. while the Club was. to q considerable
extent; and the Rio Grande in my vicinity,
more 80 it seems. This shows the berry of
the Fife to be comparatively and literally
compact and very firm. or when dry, even
hard. which infer must give il better keep.
ing or storing qualities than those of more
tender varities.
A year or two ago. before it was gener.
ally known, and when. therefore. its merits
were not well understood, its broad and har-
dy qualities led the milers to look we'll to
their grinding apparatus, as they found it
required edge and grit, and more than com
mon power TO -four il wel. Hence, they
gave it gritty reputation. But CInb failed
30 fast the last few years on the Wiscon
sin prairies. (which, By the by, are to
within two miles of my house. rs fine rs
any in the U S the Fife rapidity SUPER
seded it /; so that there are now probably
three acres of Fife to one of Club raised.
Now. therefore, the Fife variety is we'll
known. particularly in this State and ad.
jacent wheat districts. It's quality, though
aot changed. is now better appreciated.
Instead of there being more grit in il than
in the long known Club. it now turns out
that its fouris equally good as the -four of
Club itself, in which it approaches there
fore, to within is or 80 per cent. per bar.
rel, in quality and value TO the -four of win.
ter wheat. Our better informed producers,
now. therefore, sell Fife and Club at the
same prices, and these usually rate only
Eve or six cents bushel less than winter
wheat commands, or rather formerly sold
for; ] say formerly sold for. for have not
seen q Geld of winter wheat this year.
On the whole, Fife whear-in consisten-
ey with its recent origin from fall variety
comes so near in hardinss. producliveness
and other economical qualities to winter
wheat, that in localities where the latter is
precarious or uncertain. in any considera-
Die degree. should prefer to replace it with
spring Fife: the difference in the value of
produce being much less, in such circum-
stances, than The angeles and losses incl
dent to precarious crop. Last year the
Fife with me yielded Is bushels per acre |;
this year thirty six. This year is not q
criterion. however. the season having been
90 unusually good for aehsas. But have
no doub, can make the Fife yield twenty
four or FIVE bushels per acre one year with
another, and need therefore say no more
10 recommendation of sort SO evidently
Searly right.
wv. CLARKE.
Marquette, Wis, Oct. l6.