Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-11-07
Aarifnltnral department.
Written fol the Yorkville Enquirer.
WHEAT SOWING.

WHEAT SOWING.
AS the season for putting in the whea
crop for another year, is at hand, we ven
ture to our farmer readers a few sugges
tions upon this subject, collected from thu
experiments of intelligent wheat growers II
this country and Europe. As the whea
crop is one requiring little or no culture
and as the farmer has employed most of thu
skill required when he has seeded his croE
in proper manner, we propose. to discuss
this part of the subject. First, however
considerable judgment must be exercised
when practicable, in the selection of seee
wheat. In the South, the early varieties
generally succeed best; because the early
period of ripening insures against many o.
the disasters incident to this crop. Though
not always yielding more largely than late
wheat, the average yield of several farms
will be found in favor of the early wheat.
But the preparation of the soil, and meth
cd of seeding, is the great secret of success
full culture. The best varieties of wheat
disappoint the farmers expectations, If hi
does this part of his work in slovenly way
And in the South, we rarely see an instance
where this is not the case. Wheat growers
all agree, that the land should be we'll, and
deeply, broken up before sowing, and suf
fcent time given for decomposition Of
vegetable matter turned under to take
place, before the grain is put in. A good
turning plough in August, followed just be
fore the sowing time with the bull tongue
makes good preparation.
As to the method Of sowing, also, there
is but one opinion among those who have
made wheat culture a study; and this
opinion is that wheat should be soa0ed IN the
drill. In England and in the Northern
States, this is done by the improved seed
drills now much in favor. But these can
not be we'll employed in the South owing ir
many cases to the roughness of the land
and the great expense Of machine, fol
which the small crop planted will not usu
ally compensate. The place of the drill may
be supplied, however, as follows: Lay of
burrows with small plow, from II to Il
inches apart, after the soil has been vel
broken. Then apply broadcast, whatever
manure you may wish to use. Most of it
in scattering, will fall in the burrows al
ready opened. Then follow with the wheat
sowing broadcast as before, which will like
wise seek the trenches. A part of the ma
nure, as also of the wheat, will fall upon tht
ridges between the trenches; but small
plow following the sower and breaking ou
the ridges with single furrow, will cas-
the manure and grain left on the ridges
into the trenches. By this plan, the ferti
lizing element is concentrated in the drill
where all it's powers operate directly upor
the plant, which is likewise concentrated
upon the manure and none of the latter il
lost, as in broadcast sowing. The whole
power of the fertilizer is realized in th'
production of the first crop and when ligh
manures, such as cotton seed are used, th'
advantages of this method are immense.
But there are other advantages still tt
be derived from drilling wheat. 1t can b.
covered uniform depth of, say two or two
and-a-half inches, and the plant is givel
sufficient root to protect it against freeze
and thaws in winter, while the shallow GOV
cred grains in the broadcast plan are thrus
out, root and all, and are killed by frost
Drilled wheat can be more easily cleane'
of weeds, cheat, cookie and other vegetation
than broadcast growth. 1t also affords tn
opportunity for tillage, if the farmer ha
the time and inclination to spare it a littl
help; and it will acknowledge in gener
Gus returns, the sympathy thus bestowe
upon it, in its helpless state.
We said that drilling wheat had met tn
approval of the best farmers. Now for tn
proofs. In England, Rev. S. Smith, on
of the wealthiest wheat growers in tha
country, began in 1910 to SOW broadcast
He realized annually, until 1S47, an aver
age yield of 16 bushels to the acre. H
then adopted the drill system, and fror
1s47 to 1856, averaged "a bushels to tn
acre. In York District, a poor climate an
worse soil for wheat, one of our farmers a
dopted the plan we have given, and fror
less than half an acre of poor grey soil, ten
pered with little pacific guano, gathere
131 bushels. We have heard of others VIII
have tried it, attaining results that woul
seem entirely out of all reason.
We do not recommend the plan we hav
given, viz: furrowing and sowing broad
cast, then breaking the ridge, &c. Thi
operation saves time and labor, and can b
conducted with as much facility as the oil
broadcast method, and is far superior bu
the best results will be attained by careful
ly drilling both manure and seed in the ful
row and covering with the harrow. FIJI
teen bushels of cotton seed to the acre, pu
in the drill, are esteemed equal to fort
sown broadcast. A half bushel of wheat t
the acre is sufficient, and equal to busht
sown broadcast.