Middletown transcript., 1869-01-23
9erifultura1 department.
Improved Wheat Culture,
BY AN OLD FARMER.

should not now produce as heavy yields of
grain as is grown in the Old World. Our
climate is well adapted to the production
of wheat; the seasons are eminently ia
vorable and the soil. wherever it has not
been impoverished by a ruinous system of
management, will not fail to produce good
paying crops of grain.
The production of crop of fine wheat
on most kinds of land will depend almost
entirely on the skill and management of
the tiller of the soil. With bad manage.
ment, such as most of our wheat-fclds re-
ceive, the culture of this cereal will scarce
ly return the expense incurred in putting
in the seed and harvesting the crop.
| Among other causes for the alarming
decline in the wheat acreage, the imper-
fection of seedgrain may be mentioned. 1t
has been allowed to degenerate by bad
management. Excellent varieties of wheat
have not been kept pure. Growing wheat
will hybridize about as readily as Indian
corn. AS proper care has not been exer-
cised to maintain the purity of good va
riety, the seed has soon degenerated to
such an extent that the identity of the
large and plump kernels could not be re-
cognized after few seasons. The best
sorts have been allowed to degenerate by
| injudicious management, until the belief
has become prevalent that wheat must ne
cessarily degenerate; because every known
variety, which was originated at large ex-
pense, and which was cultivated with
much care, for several seasons, has failed
This fact cannot be denied. The excel
lent Treadwell wheat, the r-famed Soules
wheat, the prolific Weeks variety, the old
Red-chaff bald wheat, and many other va
rieties that were once highly esteemed as
the most desirable kinds of grain that
could be cultivated, have wofully deterior-
ated.
This mischief can be removed by care
full system in gathering seed-grain. The
well marked and most valuable varieties
must be kept apart, and the best of each
field gathered for seed the following year.
The choice varieties originated in this
way, and they must be kept up by SIM
iliar system.
Another consideration has dissuaded
many farmers from attempting to produce
a crop of wheat-the character of the soil.
The frequent plea is, "My soil is not
adapted to the production of this kind of
grain" One farmer contends that it will
be of no avail to attempt to raise wheat
without calcareous clay soil. Another
must have an argillaceous soil. And still
another, who has soil that will yield,
with proper management, fifty bushels of
prime wheat per acre, has no confidence
in any efforts to produce a crop of wheat,
simply because, as he thinks, the soil is
not as it should be. There are other con-
siderations affecting the cultivation of
wheat unfavorably, one of which I may
mention, namely. the prevalence of weeds,
where the wheat-plants are to grow
Growing wheat-plants cannot cope with
hardy and noxious weeds of any kind |
Grass when growing among wheat, is one
of the most pernicious weeds of cultiva-
ted field. Wheat will not flourish unless
the growing plants can bear undisputed
sway as far as their leaves and roots ex-
tend. Every other plant that sends out
its roots and spreads its leaves and bran
ches near the wheat-plant, is formidable
enemy. Some plants are gross feeders
they will flourish wherever the roots can
obtain foothold. On the contrary, the
wheat-plant is delicate feeder. Its fas-
tidious roots search for the dainty bits of
phosphoric acid, nitrogenous matter, al
luminous particles, and silicate of potash
that exist, in very limited quantities, in
most kinds of lands. If these are not to
be found, the rootlets will not prepare
their pabulum from the coarse material.
Red clover or the Kentucky bluegrass
mr. hot 60 4ln4k Al -.
will plough, subsoil, scarify, and work
over rough and coarse earth, changing it
into a fine garden mould, which is excel
lent food for other plants. But the wheat
plant must have its nourishmcnt provided in
proper abundance, and in the exact condi-
ton required by its roots. There is not
so much depending on the quality of the
soil, as upon the management of the far
mer.
A good clay loan holds the first position
as soil for wheat. Then excellent crops
of this grain can be produced where sill
cious sand predominates in the soil. A
heavy clay soil is better for wheat than
light sandy loan, or a mucky soil Wheat
requires liberal proportion of aluminous
matter. Then in order to meet the re-
quirements of the growing plants, they
must be supplied with silicious material
Still another ingredient is potash, found in
wood-ashes. Wheat-plants must have
bountiful supply of silicate of potash to
give stiffness to the straw. Otherwise,
driving storms will PROSTATE the heavy
stems, and prevent the ears from filling
with grain. When there is bountiful
supply of silicate of potash in the soil, the
stems of growing wheat will be covered
with bright grassy film. which will not
only stiffen the straw, but will fortify the
grain against the pernicious effects Of wet
and mildew.
The question then recurs, how may a
tiller of the soil succeed in raising good
crop of this grain