Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-24
Written for the Standard.
Wheat.


wheat and -four attract the first attention
1t forms a great part OF our living-wt
never tire of lis appearance in its vari
Gus forms upon our tables. In Vernon
many farmers have ceased TO try tc
raise it, considering it more economical
to raise some sure crop to sell, and then
buy flour. Others SOW and plant every
crup they want, and if they meet with
failure one year, they trust Providence
the same, and try again, and their sue
cess with wheat is often very encourag-
ing.
By many experiments we have be-
come better acquainted with its charac-
teristcs, and the circumstances which
tend to its success. The evils to be guar
ded against are Neevis, blight, mildew
and smut. Our worst enemy is the wee
yil, or midge-yet in Webster's defni-
ton of the words he does not describe
the little yellow chrysalis, about | 8 OF
an inch in length, which is found so very
| plentilnlly in growing wheat in Vermont.
| His description Of weevil is-'A small
insect OF the beetle tribe, with a long
snout. 1t is destructive 10 many buds
and fruits, and also magazines OF grain
The nudge is gnat, or fly. 1t is prob
ably the gnat in one stag Of its growth
that is known among US as the weevil.-
1t certainly has no long snout.
This destructive insect is often avoid
ed by sowing the grain very early, or
late, and even then it is not always safe.
The early sown wheat is, if possible, put
in on land plowed in the fall, as early in
April as the ground can be worked, even
when some snow drifts still remain, with
the hope that the grain will be formed
and hardened before the weevil appears.
In Wisconsin the experiment is being
tried to SOW spring wheat just before the
ground freezes in the fall. Ii the ground
continues frozen they get good crops-if
it thaws, it is apt to kill some of the
wheat.
Late wheat is sown the last Of May, on
first of June, and often natures after the
time Of the weevil is past; but fall rains
and early irosts often destroy the crop.
Early sowing is preferable. Get your
seed ready, put it upon high aud well
ventilated ground. A good breeze tends
in some degree to protect the crop from
three of It's enemies. Blight and midew
are thought to be caused by atmospheric
changes, cold damp weather, thick fog,
or shower followed by sultry sun
about the time the grain begins to form,
causing the sap vessels to burst, and the
juices which should nJurish the plant
feed thousands OF insects, or species Of
fungus.
Smut is when the grain turns into
sooty powder, black and offensive. This
is thought to be the result of diseased
seed. Seed can be improved by wash
ing it in strong salt brine, which will
separate light wheat and oats, and then
dry ing if it off with plaster Gypsum or
ashes, or lime.
There are many kinds of wheat, and
some ofthem by their name show their
origin, as Black Sea, Mediterranean, &c.
Wherever wheat is raised it shows an
advanced stage of civilization. 1t is not
known to grow naturally in any part of
the earth, although in Asia it has been
found far remote from the travelled
routes yet il may have been carried by
birds, currents Of walter, or the hairy
coats of quadrupeds. From a work on
natural history we CLEAN u few in crest
ing facts
Sir Joseph Banks stated in 1905 that
he received a packet of seed from a lady,
labelled hill wheat the grains of which
were hardly larger than grass seeds, but
when viewed through a magnifying lens,
were found TO exactly resemble wheat
lie sowed these in his garden and oh
tained good crop of spring wheat, the
grains OF which were OF the ordinary
size. Tie history of hill wheat was new
er known farther than that it came from
India. Whether it grew wild, or had
been cultivated was never known.
The first wheat used on the American
continent was from three or four grains
which slave Of Cortez discovered mix
ed with quantity of rice in the year
1880. The careful negro put them to
a good use, and laid the foundation Of
wheat harvest in Mexico.
The quantity of seed to an acre, on
land free from stumps and rocks, might |
be reasonably set at two bushels while
on newly cleared land, one bushel has
been an almost universal custom.
Where land is smooth and easily cul-
tivated, we apprehend that to sow seed
in drills would be economical, aud also
increase the yield BY experiments it
has been found that wheat planted in
hills, and hoed, has yielded astonishingly.
1t has been stated that tn Mormons in
Utah cultivated il in that way, and rails.
ed more than 100 bushels per acre.
Perhaps it is safe TO say, no plant we
use for food can be so rapidly increased.
10 illustrate this we quote the following:
Mr.. c. Miller, of Cambridge, the son
of an eminent horticulturalist, sowed the
I'd Of June, few grains of common red
wheat. One of the plants filtered so
much, that on the 9Th of August he d.
vided it into eighteen plants. In Sep.
TENDER and October it was divided so
that the plants set out to stand the win
ter were sixty-seven. In the spring, so
rapid was the growth, that farther d.