The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-04
AsRicuL TuRIsTs, MEETING !! | J.
Discussion of Minnesota Wheat
q 81 Culture. aiaf


Q. g., Culture. aim
An adjourned meeting OF members OF the
Legislature and others for the purpose OF dis
cassine Agriculture. was held at the Han OF the
Home of Representatives, February 26th The
meeting was called to order by the President,
Mr.. Benson. The Secretary being absent, w.
T. Rigby, of Stearns county, was chosen Sec
rotary. -a- '1 '.-, +".5rn1 .o.rn7
Mr.. SMITH, Secretary of State Agricultural
Society, from committee for that purpose APP
pointed at first meeting of Club, read q report
upon fruit culture. embodying facts ELECTED by
discussion at that meeting upon that subject.
On motion, Mr.. Smith was requested to pre-
pare copy of report for publication. faJT
Hon. Mr.. DANIELS, of Olmsted county,
said he considered his county well adapted to
raising wheat. He has been engaged in farm
ing since 1857; considers wheat raising in its
infancy in this State; owing to the habits of
tilling too much land farming is not generally
well done; from the manner that land Is titled,
thinks it strange that SO much wheat is raised
as there is. But little winter wheat is eewn in
his county, owing to the farmers being accus-
toned to spring crops; the harvest is also late
and fhterferes with sowing with winter wheat
until it is too late. He sowed 200 acres winter
wheat last year but the severe drouth tpinched
it {; thinks it will succeed well. If farmers
would summer-fallow the land they would get
much larger crops with less weeds. Scotch
10 he harr WI bQ ovo w w
do WELL sewed late or early. He sowed six
bushels White China wheat, a little less than
one and q half bushels per acre. and raised
thirty-tw0 and q half bushels per acre Fife
alongside only yielded twenty-five bushels !;
White China makes finer -four than Fife. Az
erage yield this year is eighteen to twenty
bushels in Olmsted county.
Mr.. REYNOLDS, of Olmsted county, thinks
the great difficulty in raising winter wheat is
want of s9ew; had seen it succeed well when
sown in corn and covered with . cul-
tivator, the corn stalks protecting it by hold
ing the snow; thinks the variety of wheat
called by Mr.. Daniels White China, is nothing
but Rio Grande; that it is variety
that is Objectionable on account of lodg-
ing easily and Smelling during harvest In
these times when help is scarce farmers should
SOW those varieties that will stand l0ngest
without wasting. He raises a new variety
called the Golden Drop, something like the
Fife whittier and softer berry and makes bet
ter -four; it yields about the same as Scotch
Fife; il is q bad wheat, stiff straw, and stands
up well; prefers to have wheat put in with
IND r;l hor he; eA <oc
better
Hon. M. FOSTER, of Fillmore county
raises White China wheat got his seed from
the Patent Office, through Messrs. Rice and
Shields; 1t is now the principal variety raised
in Fillmore county; it is Objectionable, from
the fact that it is bearded, shells easily and Is
very liable to lodge down; the Golden Drop
Fife, and Hazel Stone are considerably raised.
He has adopted the plan of mixing seed and
thinks he gets greater yield therefrom
he generally mixes Golden Drop with Hazel
Stone and Scotch Fife, As they ripen about the
same time; he thinks early sowing FAR prefer
able. Flowing Immediately after harvest
makes the land more foul; spring blowing
makes less weeds. Thinks winter wheat not a.
valuable crop; has sown some in two years :;
the first year he got good crop, but the next
year the crop was not 30 good. Thinks the
average yield in Fillmore county WAS twenty
bushels per acre the last year.
Mr.. LEWIS, Of Mower county, preferred
Fife Wheat: it is more hardy, and does not
smut Thinks Q cultivator better to put in
wheat than a drill, because it puts it in deeper.
But little winter wheat is sown in his county
All good crops of winter wheat are raised on
new land. The land should be broke 10 the
spring or early summer, and then plowed again
in the fall before seeding, which leaves the
ground rough. a;
Some sheep are owned in his county, They
do well when they get acelimated. Most Of
the losses are among foeks that are driven
from the East late in the fall, and are in poor
condition when they arrive, with no green
fresh food for them. et T
Timothy, red-top and clover succeed well.
1t is generally mixed in about even quantities
OF the first two, and one-third Of clover.
Mr.. ALLEN, of Mower eounty-Winter wheat
has been tested in his part of the county. and
n"c ooSSoaou "Sh yACiuinS UcItef uan spring.
80 to 40 per cent. more, and succeeding best
on new land. Thinks there is too much sue.
cession of crops. If farmers would change
their crops, and not crop the same land with
the same kind of grain, year after year, thew
would be more successful He also recon-.
mends fall blowing, SO that the crop NAV be
put in early. Also recommends rolling the
ground after the crop is up in the spring, both
winter and spring wheat Some farmers in
Wisconsin roll their corn after 1t is 2or 8 inches
high. 1t stands the drouth better. ins.
Sheep have had little attention, but 90 far as
they have been tried, the owners have been
successful '%f4@' |~'--N
Mr. FOSTER, of Fillmore county, thinks
broadcast sowing, on new land, preferable to
drilling, but on old land, the drill is far better
Has sown both ways, side by side, and gets 4
to bushels more per acre from that drilled In.
1t covers it deeper, the birds don't get 90 much,