American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-07-20
Che farmers department.
Culture of Buckwheat.

county, N. u, and IS worthy oI a'
tention at this time:
The best soil for buckwheat is
dry. light, sandy loan, but it may bt
grow on most any land ifproperly pre-
pared. As an exterminator Of weeds
the plant can be employed to a gooc
purpose. The daisy, Canada this
tie and quack witch grass) can bc
destroyed by blowing in midsummer
and roasting the roots by exposing
them to the rays of the hot sun, while
the rapid growth of the buckwhea
overshadows and smothers out what
remains alive of these pests, more
especially if the crop be followed By
clover or oats.
The following method has beer
found effectual in cleaning out quack
from grounds overrun with this troub-
lie some grass. Plow in the fall and
again in the spring, then harrow at
intervals of week or oftener, as the
quaok growsup to the middle of June.
Sow the buckwheat by the 1st of Ju-
ly, and if the land is not rich use ma
nure 50 as to grow a heavy crop of
straw: this will smother the quack.
Buckwhrat straw, if cut before frost,
is palatable to cattle and sheep, and
can be used with advantage during
the early season of foddering. Many
people throw the straw away or pile
it up for manure. This is bad econ
omy as it can be used, and thereby be
saving to the hay-mow.
When sown for fcrtilizes or fod-
der, two bushels of seed should be
sown to the acre. As a fertilizer it is
not so valuable as clover, but has one
advantage, inasmnch as it can be
grown on land where clover could not
be proftably employed for this pur-
pose. 1t should be turned deep un-
der the soil while plants are in bios
som, and when used this way rapidly
enriches the land. Buckwheat
forms a very good "pasturage for
bees" and the apiarian can make it
worth while to grow the crop for this
purpose. The honey made from
buckwheat is inferior to that made Of
clover, yet this is in part compensated
by extra quantity and the rapidity
by which the stores are gathered.
Some years, during the clovcr,season,
it is so rainy that bees are. unable to
gather their supply Of honey, A
field Of buckwheat may then prove
the means Of saving the swarms
through the winter. Last year was
q season Of this character, and hund-
reds of swarms were unable to col
lect enough food for winter: hence
there were immense losses Of swarms.
But we have observed in several in
stances when buckwhcat fields were
convenient last season to the apiary,
the loss Of swarms were less, and in
many cases no more than usual. In
Europe the plant is extensively grown
as food for bees.
Buckwheat requires care in harvest
ing to prevent loss from shaking off
the seed, more than any other crop.
Some writer's recommend cutting as
coon as one-third the seed are turned
brown others say two-thirds. five
wait for all to ripen, the earliest and
best part of the grain is lost. Per-
haps the best plan is to cut when one
half the seed are turned brown: The
unripen grain then draws enough nu-
triment from the straw, which is sue
culant and juicy, to fill out and ma
nure the grain after it is cut. The
most approved method of harvesting
is to cut with a cradle, rake the straw
into bundles and set up. 1t will be
often necessary for them to remain
in the field for week or two before
they are sufficiently cured. When
ready to be carted from the field, the
grain should be threshed out imme-
diately, or as soon or may be after
the loads reach the barn. Tie max
imum yield of buckwheat is from 30
to so bushels per acre; 25 to 80
is considered fair crop. The sue
cess of buckwheat is affected by the
weather to which it is exposed in the
several sages of its growth. In this
respect it is more susceptible than
any other kind of grain. In grow
ing the crop successfully much de-
pends not only on the general state
of the weather throughout the season,
but also on the particular times which
may have been chosen for sowing.
A week earlier or later often makes a
very great difference, and yet, not
withstanding this uncertainty, the
crop, it is believed, all things consid-
cred, is one of the most remuneratiye
a farmer can grow.
>s--<>--->S
To KEEP HAMs.-Mr. Brooks, of