The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-18
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Monday Morning, January l8. 1859.
Wheat Lands.


These lands in the West, the great wheat
growing region of our country, have in some
degree become exhausted and do not v;e,d
such abundant crops as they have in wears
past. True, there is yet a large area of yir
gin soil which will, no doubt, produce great
crops. But this soil will soon be under culti-
walton and ere long need fertilizers. 1t will
be recollected by our readers that flour, few
years ago, bore fabulous prices in California,
and now she raises immense crops and ex-
ports large quantities to our seaboard cities
and to Europe. Bnt these wheat lands in the
Golden State are fast becoming exhausted,
and the average per acre is greatly diminished.
The San Francisco Bulletin says: "Our
wheat yield has dropped down from forty
bushels to an average yield of only twenty
bushels an acre. At the present tate OF de-
cline, we shall soon reach the Ohio standard
OF twelve bushels, and what is worse, we fore
see that large breadth of land is yet to be
abandoned for wheat-growing purposes."-
This journal pointedly condemns the prac-
tice of burning stubble and straw upon grain
helds. But it rejoices to know that there is
an increasing number of intelligent farmers
who know better than to tolerate such waste
full practices. Such skiDning process must
deteriorate their lands. 1t is an easy way to
set fire to a stubble field, and boys would de-
light in the SPORT But it is worse for the
farmers than paying double rates of interest.
Such practice does not obtain in this re-
gion, for our farmers seldom thresh their
grain in the field and the straw is generally
saved.
If straw is so abundant as not to be need
ed as food Tor stock, it can be piled up in
some convenient place, and by a few addi-
tions large quantity OF compost can be
made-the very thing which land subjected
to excessive groupings needs. The time is
coming when farmers and planters win not
find it convenient, nor hardly possible, to re-
move from exhausted fields to virgin soils.
We have often urged upon the farmers OF
Maine the importance of raising their own
wheat, and not paying a heavy tribute to 9TH
er States. 1t is fact-and very important
and encouraging one, too-that the wheat
fields OF Maine produce more per acre than
the average OF our best wheat growing States.
And here we give an extract from Governor
Chamberlain's address, delivered in our city
last autumn. He says: "Wheat that we think
we cannot raise, gave us in 1866 five bushels
more to the acre than the average of Penn
sylvania, Delaware and Maryland, while hay,
which we think we can raise, yielded half a
ton the acre less than in the other States I
have named"
These statistics tell story which we must
believe. Then why do most of our farmers
still persist in saying they cannot grow
wheat? Why are they so incredulous and
down hearted upon this subject? As Gov
ernor Chamberlain well says, these few care
ful statistics should stimulate to very differ
ent state of feeling and practice Such facts
and figures ought at least ''to silence the
grumbler and shame the sluggard" As lands
become exhausted in the West, the tendency
Is to extend the area rather than increase the
fertility. But we repeat the time is coming
when that cannot be done. Our lands must
be better farmed, and cultvators must be
more saving OF the various kinds of manures.
Soils must be plowed deeper, pulverized more
thoroughly and manured more freely. The
producing classes hardly keep even pace with
the consumers. Mouths are constantly in
creasing and clamoring for food, and no class
but farmers can stop that clamor.
1t is encouraging to know that the science
OF agriculture is becoming better understood
and her teachings more needed. We have
seen in Canada manure dumped on the
banks of the st. Lawrence river for the pur-
pose of getting rid of it. The lands were rich
and the French Canadians thought they did
not need. it, but that time has probably pass
ed away and no more manure is thus wasted.
Light has even broken upon the minds OF
these French Canadians, and they now be-
gin to plow deeper, and manure their fields.
And ii agricultural knowledge has pene-
trated through their hair without a surqiea,
operation, wehave reason to indulge the hone
that the farming interests of North America
are becoming better appreciated and more
thoroughly understood.