The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-11-11


sons OF careful observation are aware
that it does not make its appearance
we are now speaking particularly Of the
black rust--nntll about the middle, say
from the i0th to the 18th, of June,
when the stalk has attained its full
growth, the grain just formed, and by
the time, or indeed rather before, any
change III color has taken place. Tho
rankcr Tie growth the more liable is the
crop TO bo attack kcd. In wheat r,pening
by tho 18th Of June tho rust scarcely
ever makes its appearances when it rip.
ems Later than the goth it seldom escapes;
riDomng OH or about the 2Oth, as il,
generally does in this climate, .he wealth.
or for several days previous is watched
with intense anxiety as the safety of
the crop Is dependent on clear skies and
dry winds
a kind OF wheat that would pretty
uniformly ripcn by tho 10Th Of Junc
would be an inestimable treasure to
wheat growers in Virginia We have
had such varieties in past times, and
why can VIC not have them again p
Many persons, now living, remember
the old white May wheat, ard the early
purple straw. They came to tho scythe
in II very few days Of each other, the
former being u little tho earlier Of the
two. The white May was sometimes
cut III tho last week in May; generally
the first week in June, scarcely over
later than tho l0lh. It was, without
| doubt, tho most perfect wheat ever
| grown in this climate. making flour
superior to any manufactured in those
days, and often weighing sixty six lbs.
10 the bnshel. II was also very produc
tive on rich land frequently yielding
upwards of thirty bushels TO tho acre.
The purple was equally productive, per-
haps rather more 50, and weighed well !;
but II IS iii, thsightly grain. A lot Of
seven acres is remembered which Welded
forty buslols TO tho acre. Both of
those varieties have long become extinct,
more through careless,ess, probably iii
saving pure seed than from any ollicr
cause. Since then long catalo2,ie Of
varieties might be enumerated; each
having run for a few years and tlen
SNlbo piuCC W u lcW l1VOTlIC.
We would earnestly recommend to
wheat growers to Spare no pains and
reasonable expense in cntlcavoring to
procure some one or more varieties rih.
ening earlier than those now in common
cultivation. We see such advertised bt
tho secdsmcn, and they arc least worthy
Of trial. But even when obtained, and
they arc found to Sivo satisfaction, the
utmost vigilance should be exercised in
preventing them from d"gcncratng.
Different kinds, Of wheat seeded on tho
same !arm; and ripcning about the same
time, arc exceedingly liable to mix and
this is believed to be ono Of the chief caus.
cs Of tho speedy deterioration Of SO many
tavoritc varieties, WE once knew Of
a gentleman who made 1t a regular prac.
tico to 60 through his whcalIiclds every
year as tho grain was ripcnng, carefully
selecting tho purost and most. forward
oaEs-cnongh, say, to yield bllshel OF
grain. This ho sowcd in a lot by ITSELF
and tho second year tho product was
sufficient to seed his @hole crop. BY
This msans tho quality and productive.
ness Of his crops was kept up as long as
he lived A similar practice universal
~ obtains among market gardeners,
whose profits depend very much on
having the earliest and best vegetables
in market.
Nor should such a Practice be deem.
cd too troublesome, especially when il is
borno in mind that OF all the productions
OF tho earth OH which human llfo is de-
pendent wheat is the most precarious,
and its treatment the most a''tilicTal.----
Rye Is liable to but few casualties; oats,
If tho season is at all propitious, Weld
abundantly and corn, wc all know, is
tho Srosscst Of feeders; while wheat
requires almost as careful nurture as an
infant.
Altcr some experience and much OBJ
scrvation and stndy for fifty years, tho
writer is convinced that tho preparation
ofland for wheat Is, in the minority of
cases, the vciy opposite OF what it
should be. Formerly, before all these
improved plows came into use, the Gus
tom was to break up the soil only few
inches dccpi and reduce the surface a
fnc tith by shallow cross plowings - !,
Now, it is turned over to. the DEPTH of
eight or ten inches, baryihg not unfrc.
qnen;ly a vast quantity Of vegetable
matter Most farmers arc adverse to
ro.tallowing, because tho coat off, vegeta
t!oh is thottht to improve the soil..
Doubtless it does but the immediate
Object and indeed the chief object, is to
got good crop. That Ibis object can
DO attained under these conditions we
beg leave respectfully to call in question.
i Apor,a soills fatal to success III Wheat
culture; necessary condition is com.
pactness. Having strict reference to
lhe manner Of growth it is believed to
DC perfectly philosophical to say that tho
roots OF the wheat plant sKodld' have a
| solid bed TO rest on md n r;cJ, Ir;,t,,,