Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-04-09
Aarirultural, &r.
BY our Agricultural Editor.
Wheat.

supporting and force-yielding constituents need
full to sustain life and vigorous strength. 1t is
recognized as one of the first necessaries of civil
ired life, and the importance Of the crop is so
fully appreciated as to render unnecessary any
extended remarks on this point.
The perfect culture of wheat requires the
highest exercise of skill on the part of the agri
culturist This is none the less true because
thousands of acres yielding plentiful harvests
are grown every year by individuals totally ig-
nOrant of the principles that underlie the skill
full growing of the plant.
Virgin soils, with very rare exceptions, con-
tain all the elements necessary for the wheat
crop, but, from the very first, the growing oil
wheat in this country has been upon the prlci-
pie of exhausting all, and returning none oil
these elements; hence we find that the march Of
full crops is always close upon the heels oil new
settlements The time was when Vermont pro
duced its own wheat; and it is within the recol-
lection of many of our readers, that we only
went to York State for it is the " Genessee
country - at that time being supposed capable
of Welding almost .inexhaus bic supplies, where
as we now 90 beyond the Mississippi for some
portion of it. In 1860, or more properly in
1859, with a population of 3l5,O9s, Vermont
produced 49,, 127 bushels of wheat. 1t is gen
orally estimated that each individual requires
barrel of flour per annum; which would require
from sources outside Of the State ,0i4, 4G3
bushels of wheat; but placing the estimate at four
bushels Of wheat we believe to be more nearly
correct in farming community, where coarse
breadstufs are much used and an abundance Of
milk and vegetables are always at hand, there
was a deficit of 729, 2G5 bushels to be made up
by importation. In the Report of the Depart
ment of Agriculture for 1867 the wheat crop Of
Vermont is estimated at zoo, 900 bushels, but as
we happen to know something Of the manner
in which these estimates are procured we do not
place any confidence whatever in them. On the
other hand we are told by dealers in -four that
the sales in the State during the year 1865 were
largely in excess of those of 1860. Of course
the farmers Of Vermont who consume all this
foreign wheat raise something else to sell to eDa-
bic them to buy it, and although it may seem to
them to be good policy to pursue that course,
yet it is the experience Of every old country that
it is a most ruinous policy. There are Of course
places and circumstances where specific cropping
and the use of specific manures is Unsuitable and
to be recommended; but as a rule n judicious
rotation which will afford the farmer all the
various crops that he desires to consume on his
farm will in the long run be found most profit
able and least exhaustive of the elements Of fer
tility in the soil.
Many expedients have been resorted to for
keeping up or rather for restoring the fertility
Of wheat soil and many vague theories promul-
gated. In England, from an average of thirteen
bushels to the acre, the crop has been increased,
to about thirty bushels by the use of guano.
Hon. George Geddes of 0nondaga Co, n Y,
thinks it perfectly practicable to keep up the fer
tility of the soil and constantly raise heavy
crops in rotation by applying clover seed and
gypsum. The long roots of the clover bring to
the surface the fertilizing agents that are below
the reach of other plants, and the broad leaves
absorb others from the atmosphere, and the de-
oaying roots furnish very complete food for the
wheat plant. From % to % bushels is an aver
age crop under his treatment He says ''The
agriculture of Onondaga County is based on
the elorer plant, Trifolium pratensG. 1t is used
for hay, for pasture, and for manure
Joseph Harris, formerly editor of the Gen
essee Fdrmer,'' says: There has been much
said about the exhaustion of our soils, but this
one thing is certain; as long as we can grow
good crops of clover, the soil is capable of grow
ing, so far as the constituents of the plant are
concerned, good crops Of lrheat' 1t is not neces-
sary to discuss that point at this time Every
observing man knows that with very rare ex-
tons the soils of Vermont, ranging all the way
from sand to clay, will grow first rate crops Of
wheat if properly treated. There is some little
danger of its being injured by insects, but John
Johnston says that if plenty of manure is ap-
piled to the soil there is but little danger
from that source. He says, moreOver,-".gH
that is needed 10 insure good crops Of 'rieat
is more and better MANURE
But this is just where a large majority Of
farmers are at faults; lacking the necessary
K owledge, skill, or care they do not know the
capabilities or Requirements Of their soils, and
they as often make improbable applications Of
manure as otherwise. % Stable manure - is
claimed to be universal specific for all soils and
crops; but more generally applied among Us.
in its crude, uncomposted state, it tends to an
excessive production of straw and weeds rather
than Of grain. The remedy for this is in
thoroughly composing the manure. Although
the soils of western Vermont are supposed to con-
tain sufficient lime for most crops, applications
Of that substance have frequently resulted in
improved crops. On this subject Prof Way
says "Much money was at one time wasted
in lining imperfectly drained land. and there is
still considerable scope for improvement in this
respect Drain first and (when necessary lime
afterwards, is an agricultural axium that should
form the motto of every farmer who would wish
to derive the full advantage of his outlay" John
Johnston says a great deal less manure will do on
drained than on undrained lands
Wheat requires about nine times as much pot
ash as il does of lime; because we see the value
of an application of ashes which directly sup
plies this constituent of plant food. Late invest
igs ions render it probable that potash may be
indirectly furnished to plants by methods here
tofore unthought Of Prof Horsford has recent |
ly stated that an incidental effect of an applea-
ton to the soil Of superphosphate, that lie to say
Of true acid phosphate, is the liberation Of .
potash from its insoluble connection with silica,
the condition in which it occurs in feldspar,
and the formation Of soluble phosphate Of
potash Many, though not all Vermont soils,
are feldspathic, and there is every reason to be-
iieve that there is in them sufficient potash, if it
could be set free or induced to farm soluble COM
binations to supply the needed amount of that
material for many crops
Phosphoric acid is another constituent of the
wheat plant, the proportion being thirteen times
Is much of lime. This is a constituent Of all
soils not absolutely barren, but it usually exists
n such small available proportion and the draft
ipon it is so severe. that it oftene needs to be
idded them any other single constituent of plant
God.
1t is applied in farm-yard manure, which
shen made from nutritious food contains a very I
mall proportion of it. say one half Of enc per
ent. or ten pounds to the tun; in icoof-ashes, Z,
cached or unleachel, and in this constituent
lone is supposed to reside the value Of leachel !
shes, the per centage varying with the kind of J
Tood from which they are made, from one to t
'ur per cent; in ground bones, which if pure
ontain nearly twenty-five per cent. But it must :
conceded that this form of application has not 4
met the expectations of those who p
ave made it; and in commercial phosphate il
anure. such guanos, superphospha;e