The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-05-09
Farm anu Garnen.
Wheat Culfure.

The writer's experience, reading, and observe
tien On many fields Of growing wheat, lead to the
conclusion that this grain should DO cultivated
with horseshoe cultivater, in drills, without
providing the plants to restrict the sunshine and
fosd which fan to the share Of each. The West-
chester Pal Jetusonian publishes an experiment
made the past year by Mr.. r. A. Gilpin ON his
farm in West Town, which illustrates the sound
ness of the practice recommended in this article.
Mr. G. says in substance that by closing every
other pipe in his wheat drill he seeded an acre in
drills ~ inches apart, using three pscks Of Med
iterranean wheat. Hecontinues I'm the spring,
when the ground had become sufficiently dry to
work, small garden hoe-harrow was run be-
the rows, working to the depth of about three in
shes; this was done only once. The effect Of this
working was very apparent; the wheat took =
rapid start and 0utgrew the rest of the field. As
the season advanced it grew tall and strong, and
no amount of wind or rain had any effect to lay
it down; when the heads Termed, their greater
length was very apparent. 1t was backward in
ripening, and the rest of the ield was cut and
hauled in week before this was ready. New
for the result. The experimental wheat yielded
twenty-three bushels to the acre, and the rest
yielded only nine bushels to the acre; the quail.
ity Of each was about the same"
Close observers familiar with raising corn know
how easily it is to have plants too thick AID nu-
nerous to command the largest yield OF grain.
They know also that stirring the ground about
growing corn greatly promotes the extension OF
its roots into fresh earth, giving it the command
of more food. Precisely similar facts transpire
when one stirs the soil properly about young
wheat Weeds are killed, the soil is made more
absorbent Of dew and warmth, and subject to
those chemical changes which augment assimil-
able nutriment around the roots Of wheat Too
many plants OF any kind TO the square yard or rod
unavoidably crowd and starve one another. Till
the ground deeply and thorouE lilly, and have no
more plants than will have r0oh to develop their
roots and leaves perfectly, and you will see long
or and far better filled heads Of wheat or ears Of
corn, than can grow where plants are crowded by
the use Of toe much seed or starved By defective
cultivation.
Isaac, the son Of Abraham, probably did NOT
plant over peck Of wheat On an acre; which,
being hand hoed and duly irrigated, gave him
1OOpeeks, one hundred fold Had he put I. bssh-
els of seed on acre, nothing Snort of . ssper-
natural power wsuld have produced $50 bushels
on al English acre Herodotus, the father Of his
tory, informs US that the province of Babylon
raised wheat at the rate Of Of two hundred fold
for the seed planted. From this statement it 10
a legitimate inference that the people who made
the hanging gardens OF Babylon, long one Of the
'seven wonders Of the world" brought the art Of
wheat culture to great perfection, at least in
wing seed. With them gallon of seed probably
planted acre Of ground it 80, 200 gallons Lar-
vested was % bushels, on an average, per acre.
Wheat growers in the southwest seldom SOW
more than bushel of seed to the acre and this
often among standing csru, the stalks being cut
near the ground ia the winter. The seed is
ploughed in