Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-09-25
YaIne of RuckMheat.

taiue OF buchWDeAts
NOTWITHSTANDING huckwheat cakes are
almost universal favorites with both
young and old, and in spite of the fact
that this grain can be grown on almost
any soil, and will thrive well with indiffer-
ent culture; still, most farmers seem reluc
tant to spare even an acre or two of their
poorest land, or to devote an odd day to
preparing it for this most valuable crop
No crop is so easily raised as buckwheat.
Land that is worn out by raising common
wheat, or that which is too rough or un-
subdued for the purpose, will yet produce
good yield of this grain. So, too, we
need not be so particular in relation to the
time of sowing ii as we are in respect to
sowing wheat, barley and rye. Apart
from the grain itself, it will pay to raise
buckwheat for the good it does the soil b,
ameliorating it and clearing it for the pro-
duction of other crops. On new ground
it exerts highly beneficial influence in
disintegrating the hard clay Jumps, max
ing them fine and more easily worked, and
Fastening the rotting of the turf, which is
firm and stubborn. AS a live mulch,
among young trees, it is particularly valu-
alb e; while the straw will make an excel
lent winter protection after it has been
threshed. Besides these advantages there
are few better or cheaper methods of ma
nuring worn out fields, than by growing
this grain, AMI blowing it under when it
has obtained its largest growth.
But this crop is valuable for something
else than as a means of improving the
soil and preparing it for the production of
more widely cultivated crops Though
its price is t1uctuating, still the value of
an acre OF buckwheat is ordinarily greater
than an acre of ordinary wheat; for
though the price per bushel may be only
half as great, still the number of bushele
to the acre will average more than twice
as many. This market is ordinarily indif
ferently supplied with buckwheat -four
both as regards quantity and quality. And
there are instances during the past few
years where the price of buckwheat flour
notwithstanding it was very largely
adulterated with wheat middlings-was
fully equal to thai of the best flour from
white winter wheat.
The cheapness of raising this crop should
also commend it to the farmer. AS we
have before said, it will thrive on indiffer-
ent land, and with Indifferent culture the
expense, too, of seed is very small, as a
half bushel is sufficient for an acre, if the
land is in good condition.
1t is untimely now to give directions for
the field management of this crop, other
than those which pertain to harvesting,
which should be done when half the seed
are ripened. Some prefer to cut it when
only third of the seed are ripe, arguing
that the immature seeds will draw susie.
nance from the succulent stalks, and thus
fill out after the grain is cut 1t
is always advisable to harvest this
crop before many of the seeds fall,
and to cut it in such manner so there
| will be as little loss as possible. On this
account, many farmers prefer to cut il
early in the morning, or after the dew has
fallen at night, and such practice is, with
out doubt, good one, When the stalks
stand up well they may be cut with era
die; but when the growth is rank there is
ordinarily tendency to lodge, which
makes it necessary to use the scythe in
stead. There is no need to bind this grain
into sheaves, as is the case with rye, wheat
or barley, as the salks have so many late
raj trunks it is only necessary to roll the
swath over with a rake, when they will
eptwine and form bundle that can bt
moved with care without the aid of band
| 1t is never desirable to stack buckwheat
as is the case with other grain. All that il
necessary to insure its being properly
cured, is to stand up the bundles singly ol
in small shocks, for ten or twelve days
when it will be ready to be threshed. Il
is grain whose berry does not suffer
much injury from exposure to rain, beinl
| projected by so strong and thick a cover
| ing; but ii is always desirable to thresh i
as soon as it Is thoroughly dried, to pre-
vent loss from shelling out If pains ar,
taken to protect the straw after and befor,
it is threshed, it makes very good fodder
for cattle, and an excellent litter for horses
and pigs.
This grain, besides its use for human
food, is OF great value To feed to poultry
and persons who have tried 1t recommenC
il as one of the best things to feed Il
horses, when it is desirable to quickly pu
them in good condition in regard to flesh
and to bring out sleek, glossy coat o
hair.
Some persons object to the use of buck
wheat on the table, on the ground that
engenders cutaneous diseases; but doubt
less the great amount of butter and othe
fat that many persons use on their cakes
is chargeable with this objection, and no
the buckwheat cakes themselves, who's
innocence we are inclined To argue Som
families, too, who have an eye To economy
object to the use of buckwheat cakes ol
the ground that they are great consumer
of syrup OF other sorts of sweetening
But such farmers should remember tina
the acre of buckwheat which will suppl,
their families with the staple article 0
food for half the year, will also furnisl
she honey to eat with II, if they win onl,
locate beehive in the neighborhood 0
the field
One word more in favor of buckwheat
and we are done. Unlike other grain,
does not wear out the soil nor essential,
impair its productiveness for other crops
IL is not well To plant corn on ground cul
tivated TO buckwheA the season previous
as both have very succulent stalks But
writer in the Country Gentleman gives al
instance of farmer who raised an aver
age crop of buckwheat for twenty-six con
secutiVe years ON a piece of land naturall,
poor, which received no other manur
than the stalks of the buckW heat Itself
and at the end of that time, the field pass
ing into other hands, II produced goo,
crops of corn, wheat and clover Prdiri
Farmer.