Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-12-11
AGRI CULTURAL.
Proper Time 0far Sowing Wheat.

On stiff, tenacious clay loans, esueciaIIy
when NOT thoroughly underdraned, wheat sow5
atter the month Of September Is liable 10 be
injured by the winter aue-.s.ring froatu AZ a.
carried safely through the wine. rrosoc,od
by its mantle Of snow, 1T is more snns,~~-o9
by the attacks Of the spring ny, n NOT 6eipg
Sufficiently vigorous to outgrow the Effects ~
the injury. Late sown sandy soils, also, when
not properly titled, are stin more exposed 90
the attacks of this spring generation. Indis-
trlcts where the midge prsvaiIs,rit Is aIllnp
portaat, that sowing shOuld not be at 90 oI6ls
period as to retard the Fipenings Of the crop.
u ls Is fact, however, no doubt familiar 10
every careful, observing farmer, that under
tne same conditions of the land there Is scafss-
ly any difference in the ripening Of wheat
sown the first or third week Of September.-
There seems, therefore. to be a necessity Tor
selecting medium period for sowing as TIE
best protection against the fly, avoiding at Che
same time other evils incident to too late SOW.
ing. bngv5d J1HtIf. @1H.I al
A single frost is supposed to destroy all the
insects while in the state. OF the fly. There e,
consequently, no danger to be apprshended II
the wheat is not sown nor up until after an
autunnaI frost. In seasons, therefore, when
the tiy is known to be prevalent, il would
doubtless be the safer plan TO defer sowing
until even the last week in September, should
not sharp frost In the meantime occur. In
the climate Of Michigan we seldom escape a
frost through the month of September. Last
season was one Of those exceptions, that viii
sometimes occur 10 general rules, the effects
whereof cannot be guarded against. If my
recollection be right, there was no percspti-
bic frost throughout the month Of September,
and have no doubt that the present crop Of
wheat was materially injured by the insect, In
consequence Of the very warm audIuuseasoua.
ole weather in October and part Of Novem-
per- the very early sown fields Of course suffer-
ing the most. -..-. .a...
e. Every successful wheat grower, presume
will readily admit that one of the most effect,
ual preYentives Of the ravages Of the fly, is q .
rich soil thoroughly titled. It invariably hap
pens that the crop is most seriously injured on
lands that have been carelessly titled, and
have become Impoverished by an exhaustinR
course OF cropping. The thin, puny plants on
such soils, that are not entirely destroyed are
left still more enfeebled, whereas, when the fy
time has passed, on the well titled Gelds, prop
erly enriched, the wheat in a great measure
recovers its luxuriance, the injury to the crop
being comparatively slight. dl ng1s slJ m
believe it has been generally conceded
that In seasons of the fly the wheat suffers the
most on sandy soils. There ars perhaps; two
reasons for this proving conclusively to my
mind that this need not necessarily be the
case Wheat sown at the same time germin-
ates sooner, ard comes forward more rapidly
on warm sandy loans, than on the sitter and
colder clay soils. As the fly deposits its eggs
soon after the young plants appear above
ground, those first up afford the earliest recep-
Lace, and in all probability when the fly ia In
its greatest state of activity. Then again, al
though when rightly titled, sandy loans may
be made our most valuable soils, they do NOT
'ontain SO large percentage Of the organic
and mineral elements, Of the cereal crops, a.
the more tenacious clay soils; consequently. q
under an exhausting system of cropping, where
but little or no manure is used, they are soon.
sr impoverished, and when sown TO wheat Iess
lble to withstand the fall and spring attacks
If the fly. -.-.....,.. q. f..rods ->,sis. BID Gaa
/ am satisfied from what experience have
lad in the tillage of sandy loans since have
esided in Michigan, that when they are kept
q high state of cultivation, as they may
eadily be by proper and timely appliances, no
oils are so little exposed to the ravages Of
he fly. One standing advantage they have
ver the colder clay soils is, the later period
o which sowing may safely be deferred, and
sufficiently vigorous growth in the fall be
nsured.-MichigaD Farmer. s-r