The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-04-18
agrituunraI.
Spring Wheat and Oats.

Experience has fully proved that spring
wheat and oats generally succeed best when
sown M early a. the ground will admit OF
preparation, We have known a good crop OF
spring wheat. produced on land from which,
ut the t;me Of sowing. the frost was not out
the seed having been buried by working
over the thaxed surface with cultiyator.-
But we do not advise sowing on frozen
ground.
An important reason why the grains men
toned gencIally do better in this vicinity
when sown early, is that they must make
the greater portion Of their growth before
the hottest part of the season arrives. IN
consequence OF which their growth IL slower,
the straw more stiff, lers likely to bc beaten
down, and less liable To rust. IL is well
known that most Of the small grains, 50
called, succeed best under q moderate tenn
perature; the degree Of heat which is neces.
sary to make good crop of Indian corn is un-
favorable to them. Oats will bear greater
degree Of cold than any other grain, and
hence are grown in higher Attitudes. In
fact the heaviest and bes, cats are produced
in climates too lar north for wheat 10 grow
in the greatest perfection. The oats Of Scot
land are generally the best grown in the
United Kinsdou,, and those Of the Canadas
are on an average the best grown in North
America.
Perhaps an exception in regard to the early
sowing of spring wheat, should be made
where the crop is liable 10 be injured by the
whcatmidge. miscalled wecvil. IL has been
found that early spring wheat suffers more
than late from the attacks Of this insect
Hence in districts where its rayagcs have
been very destructive, late sowing has some
times been adopted. Il became necessary to
choose between the risk Of having the crop
injured ~ perhaps Destroyed by the midge.
and its being assailed hy blight. In Maine.
New Hampshire, Vermont, and Lower Cana.
da, spring wheat has been sowu as late ~ the
last Of May and the first Of June, and good
crops sometimes obtained from earlier SOW
ing with exemption iron the nidge, but
Whatever their character they we're believed
to bs oil that could be produced under the
Circumstance.
IL will DO remembered that spring wheat
has Tor year Pact, succeeded very well ia
some sections where it has fsrmerly been
suprosed that Il could not advantagcously
De grown. We cannot at present SO any
reason why il may not do ss well the coming
season rs Il did last year or the year before.
farucrs sho have land adapted to it, will
therefore be likely 10 sow the usual amount.
The injury by the midge has Of late been
comparatively triaing ia this section. and we
ds not discover any sigus OF the appearance
of the inset the coming season.
The greatest injury to the crop, here
abouts. has been from smut. That is easily
prevented bya proper preparationoi oi the seed
Various modes for this have b en recon-
taeaded. The most convenient and the most
efiectuai. 81 lar a. cur experience goe--snd
We in fSmer yeau, tried various things
tiuc vitrol-sulphate Of eoppcr. The pro-
ccss Of applying IL was to dissolve il IN water
at the rate Of two ounces for bushd oi
wheat, making q solution cf sufficient guam
tity TO thoroughly dampcn the wheat. The
wheat Was placed in large tubs and the solu-
ticu poured on il. After thorough stirring
il was allowed 10 stand twelve hours, when
Il was dried OF sufficiently for sowing by
saiIios in plaster, air'siacked liue, or dry
ashes.
The vi,riol destroys the srms Of smut, ,bu,
does not iniure the wheat. The same pur-
pose may bs accomplished by the uss Of 9th.
or substances, as brine, eaustic lime, arsenic
I've. &C., but the application is more troub
lesome.-AfdiRe Farmer.