The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-09-17
x g ric u / { ur a L.
WHAT GROWING IN PORTAGE
GOIJNTY @---

| no aa-, ,a,vf,o COUNTY. BOD -.
ii Swelregret to be compelled to admit
that many of our farmers of Portage
county have quit the, cultivation. of
wheat, and depend upon. purchasing
flour from abroad to furnish their ta-
bies with bread ri This is an error into
which many have fallen By reason of
poor crops and scanty Yields 2fof the
last few years. Z This may all be over
come, and as sure d crop, and as. good
a yield be had as twenty or thirty
years ago, BY giving proper attention
to the selection of seed, and to cult
vating and ferti1izing the seil,9 &c.
Now, as to the varieties best calculated
to withstand the extremes of heat and
cold of our climate, we find upon
careful Investigation of the reports
and close observation, that of fifty
five varieties of winter wheat grown
in our county, the. Premium White
Mediterranean and the Red Bearded
MediteraIieah are quite certain to yield
from twenty to- thirty bushels per
acre, when due care is given to cult
yatioR. The Fappahahnock, with us
a new yariety,) has; so faly9 son an aY-,
erage, yielded full twenty-five bushels
per acre, and; in. most instances, where
introduced andpropeFly cultivated has
yielded from thifty4five to fortybushels;
per acre. tits awhile grainy heavy ear
and stout straw. Taking all the re-
ports, u Ubelievei the above to succeed
the best of any in ouFUelimate. if.ls
But we are1toh that. wheat is apt to.
winter-kill now, Ieven on the same
fields lMherel twenty OF thirty years
ago, it was al1nostlcertaiil to produce.
from eighteen to thirty bushels per
acre. This fact of itself is Suggestive
of the condition of the field, and a
different manner of tillage. When the
county was new the ground was light,
the subsoil open, and the water-line
was Consequently low Now, the
ground~has, from frequentleultivatioh,
freezing andGl long summer dfohths,
become settled, )and very Compact; so
that thewheat plant takes but shallow
root; while the compact condition of
the cgronnd obstfucts' the drainage
holds the water of the heavy rains Of
autumn, and makes a solid and sure
conductor of frost ;toya great depth.
"A little reflection must suggest to us
that where the land has no natural
surroundings, and, where it has not
been properly and thoroughly under
drained, something must be done,
more than we used to do, twenty years
ago to protect the wheat crop against
either freezing out Ier bsinothering.
The land must be made light, so as, to
admit ofpruper underdrainage. First
select a. suitable field, with sufficient
slope toiadmitr of drainage = lay it out,
in lands, so that each, ftlrfough will |
have. as 1nuch fall as possible, never
Il crossways) off, the slope.
Plow lit. very deep in the month of |
June Don't eross+plow 1T at all nor
even cultivate to- the DEPTH Of the
blowing; but fstir the surface often
with a cultiyatorl or harrow until, say,
the first'ft ftegthe twentiethlof Septen-
Der; then, if convenienty plant with a
drill, running 1engthWays of the slope,
from the ihead to the foot ef'the slope.
You will them have secured a light |
and piable surface, ahdqp fair under
drainagea I'VE are sometimes told
that this'is very well,o but then comes
The worm, the fly, and eventhe disease.
called smut. Let me say that from an.
of the reports of the most
lble n Wheat growers in our country /
md lta j IN p Europe; and from long obsef-
fiaa1t1o1n, at y am am pleased to learn that the
wheat 1e crop, may be as surelyproteeted
lgainst the rayages of insects or dis
'ase as any of the produotiensoof the
arm, BY the use of proper fertilizers.
t has, fer many years.. been known
hat common salt Chloride of sodiutm)
4 small proportionsI promotes the de-
composition % Of animal and vegetable
INSTANCES When freely used, it de! |
'troys Yermin m and kills weeds, which
~ are thus thus converted into fertilizers 1t
direct constituent of food for
ONE plants pla and vegetables, including
otatoee, carrots, wheat, clover, san
'i1n oln' '}Ss &c. j It renders the earth, more,
apab1e Of absorbing the moisture of
ne Ie, atm ia:nt1mlpo.sRhere-a property of the {,
rst Importance. -, -..r f....,,: ''fi'Ii;
y 70 11-ll.-L.---9L 30 Z" b5Aoi- -n9I4i