The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-08-31
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
ON RAISING WHEAT IN KANSAS.
EMPoRIA, Aug. 90, 1861.

ON hA1SlNG W HEAT I'm KANSAS.
EMPoRIA, Aug. 90, 1861.
EDITOR NEWS: Seeing the backwardness
of our farmers to comply with your propo-
sitions offered in the issue of July 9th, I
will offer the following. which you may
publish if you don't think it will disgrace
the cause of farming.
.Seed.-First and foremost, select good,
clear. plump-grained wheat. clear of smut.
cheat, &c. The earlier it ripens the better.
Wheat badly shrunken By rust or other
wise should be avoided, as it is more diff
cult to get it of proper thickness, and the
grain failing before the stalk is properly
nourshed.
Hoa0 to Prepare the Ground-Break in
July or August. If on high. rolling ground.
pillow nearly horizontally. to prevent wash
ing. and as deep as your ground will bear
without turning too much of the subsoil
but on bottom land, break as deep as you
can conveniently-the deeper the better
Break in small lands" about thirty feet
wide, and leave your finishing furrow open
through the whole process, running your
burrows in the direction that will hest drain
your land. Harrow Immediately after break
ing. and if your ground becomes hard OIL
foul before sowing, stir and roll it, leaving
the surface perfectly smooth.
Time to Sos0.-Wheat may be sowed any
time in September. to advantage from The
10th to to the goth is generally the best
Sow at least bushel and peck to the, acre
or if the ground is very dry, put on
bushel and half A bushel will do pretty
well, if it ALL gets up and has favorable
winter.
HosO to Put hs.-If you can't drill, pu
it in with the best pillow you have that vii
answer your purpose. Put it two and
half or three inches deep, where it will hav'
sufficient moisture to germinate forthwith
it will also be out of the reach of birds, ant
have better taproo with which to endure
the winter. The winter roots of wheat will
run to the depth of two or three feet in
deed, they have been known TO penetrate t
the depth of four feet. If this tap-root i
broken by frost or otherwise, the stem will
become SO enfeebled that il will not, in ev
ery instance head-and when it does tn
head seldom if ever fills, but turns white
and Is called the "scab."
Harrow and roll after sowing. Roll a
early in the spring as it will bear, and a
often as it needs it, observing never to g
into your field while it is very wet.
Time to Cm.-Cut about week befor
ripe. This you will have to guess al
which can be done very accurately by no
tieing the general features of the weather a
well as your wheat. Il will not rpen a
fast IN wet. cool weather as it will in dry
hot weather. Experiments have clearl
proven that wheat cut week or ten day
before ripe will make better flour and NOR
of it, than when cut fully ripe. ] hav
seen fine fields of wheat badly injured b
storms, when they ought to have been in tn
shock.
RosO to Put Up.-If you not a very goo
barn, stack it as soon as it is dry enough
anu lcdF0 IL Ill Lu0 LuO" VI StaSk dOOub
month, which will give it time to sweat an
dry out, after which it may be thrashed.
Spring Wheat.-Spring wheat, if on Of
ground, should be put into well pulverii
ed soil, made so by stirring and narrowing
Put it in the same as fall wheat, and as 500
as you can.
Sod.-For winter or spring wheat on sol
you should have your sod turned in Ma,
about two and a half inches deep. Instea
of having your sod thrown fiat down, ha,
, it "kiuked'' as much as possible; it wi
rot just as well. aud give your harrow
better hold upon it. Sow first. then roll
harrow next, and harrow till your sod
torn perfectly to pieces. By SO doing 20
will better distribute the seed. which at fir
appeared to be in punches. If you harro
before sowing, you will never get your see
covered deep enough. Sod is general
better for spring wheat than old ground.
N. B.-KeeP your pigs off your wheat
| VOTING FARMER