Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-06
Exp riments im Wheat Culture
Drilling and UOrse-HOeing.

The Secretary of the Gcodhue Farm.
ers' Club of Minnesota, communicates
to the american Agricultmist the fol,
lowing interesting statement in regard to
some experiments in wheat culture made
by one Of the members of the Clyb :.
Field No. 1.-Two bushels to the acre
was sown with the broadcast sower and
cultivator combined, and the seed was
planted at all depths from the surface, to
three or four inches deep
Field No. WAS sOwn with com
mon wi eat drill, east and west, one and
a quarter bushels being used to the acre,
planted about two and n half inches
deep.
Field No 3.-Three pecks Of seed
were drilled in, east and west, two and a
half inches deep, and eighteen inches
apart 1t was cultivated but once when
a foot high, with fve-tOothed walking
cultiyator at an expense Of 81 per
acre.
The results are thus stated mo !
was good wheat not damaged by heat,
head medium in length, well filled, stood
thick upon the ground, was unequal,
some straws five or six feet in length,
and some only two feet. Some heads
were very green while Othere were riDe
The yield is estimated at from twenty to
twenty-five bushels per acre. No. 2 was
of better color during growth than No,
l, very e. en- in straw and degree of ripe~
ness, heads about even, Of extra length
bundles very heavy, and the yield is esti-
mated at thirty bushels per acre. No. :
was extra at all times Its unusual deer
green color and broad leaves attracted
much attention. No one supposed it the
same kind Of grain as lots l and .. Il
stooled out much more than either Nos !
and , 1t was uniform in length Of straw
and degree of ripeness The head:
would average Onesthird larger than No
l, and the largest and heaviest wheat We
ever saw. Strangers here picked for the
smallest heads, and then shelled from
sixty to eighty kernels from each head
Our binders land we had some from
other States who had had much expert,
| ence,) said they never saw such largt
heads or such heavy wheat Of this kind
namely China Tea The yield Is estima
ted at thirty five OF forty bushels pei
| acre
The Club arrives at the conclusion
| that they have been in the habit of usin.
too much seed for spring wheat; tina
wheat needs cultiyating; that if half 1
bushel Of seed were used per acre, and
| sOwed in drills fifteen inches apart ant
thoroughly cultivated, the average croJ
of Wisconsin might be doubled They
recommend, moreover, the expenditure
| Of the price Of the seed saved in givinl
the land more thorough narrowing. II
this they are wise; there il nothing t
which wheat so quickly responds a
thorough tillage, and it may be ques
ton whether this sho I'D be done previou
to sowing or after the grain is up. Thert
are other interesting subjects for investi,
| CATION before any one can speak with au
| thOrity The exact amount Of seed pc
acre, though depending in 4 measur,
upon the kind Of wheat and the charac
ter of the soil, may be nearly approx
mated. The distance apart Of the drill
IS another subject for experiment
twenty inches has been recommended
Is is difficult to cultivate between thOs
which are much nearer, and no doubt III
roots will ill the ground between theI
at this distance