Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1869-01-25

WHEAT AND ms CULTURE.

I ---@ WHEAT AND IT'S CULTURE.
The franklin County Farmers Club met
u at the rooms Of the State Board Of Agri-
Icuture, G. s. Innis in the chair.
Mr.. Edwards-fhe wheat crop Is fall
ure In comparison to what our former pro
duct has been, not only in Ohio but In. all
States east OF US. In former times New
4 now It produces very little. In 1775, an
English traveller stated that the crops OF
wheat in New York State were thirty-ive
TO forty bushels per acre; but now the
Icropdoes not exceed seven bushels. Thirty
to forty years ago we raised 80 to 80
bushels here 10 Ohio. now we get 10 to IL
lbushfls; spring wheat Is 10 a degree sup
lnlanting IL. In early days we could put
the wheat In, in very rough style-in fact,
we often rut 1t in with the shovel plOw,
and then WE would get 25 bushels per acre
j--oftens we drilled it In the corn ground
without any splowing at all, and got fair
crop. Think that mulching. or top dress
Ing. is very beneficial. I have used as a
mulch leaves collected ia the forest, and
spread them over the wheat as mulch,
and I have found great benefit from this
method. Winter killing Is the greatest in
ljnrv. or enemy, we have to contend with,
and find that this leaf mulch viii prevent
winter killing.
Joseph Mock-we are entirely too neg
standing the sol is det. rioratiDg. II we
will give proper attention to preparing the
soil and putting in the crop, we may yet
grow good crops. plowed twelve inches
dee n. and when the wheat failed all agOund
ne / had rather COED crop. Alter had
plow' this field twelve inches deep,
hauled manure on 1t. rolled and narrowed,
and then put In the wheat with double
shovel plOw. clover field In its second
year well broke up. and the clover plowed
under when about half the heads are ripe,
will always bring good crop OF wheat.
and at the same time clover enough Will
come up to make good set of clover; but
we must put the wheat in with some
care. NV father. In Pennsylvania, always
plowed down clover when In bloom, aud
used a good deal of plaster, and always
succeeded in having good crops of wheat.
have tried lime, ashes and pond muck
this makes good fertilizer, and where 1t
Is applied wheat will ripen some three or
four days sooner than on ground not So
treated. Do not think there is any pre- 1
ventive of rust--it always comes in damp
weather,--the stalk when struck with rust
always cracks open or splits near the
ground. When land Is plowed deep it Is
less liable TO suffer from drouth on the one
hand and less liable to be frozen out on
the other. can always get good crops In
dry seasons, but cannot manage wet sea-
sons.
E. Dryer-Deep blowing is not a certain
RENE dy, and will not answer the purpose
under all circumstances; neighbor OF
mine plOwed deep and sowed very nicely
and bis crop was very near complete fail
ur,; while some land just adjoining, which
had been in corn. had wheat drilled In
without plowing, and produced good
crop. Two years ago I sowed my wheat
on corn ground no blowing. just harrow
ed, aud had about ten bushels per acre, and
that was the best crop In my neiyhborhood.
Where mulched 1 got nothing at all.
j. OBJ ReDick-In reply to a statement
that March was the hardest month on
wheat Mr.. R. cick said he did not believe
that the wheat was frozen Ito desth,D but
that 1t was under water, imbedded in ice,
and was snso,hered.
G. S. Innis-We have had a series of
cold winters. and we may now have series
of warm ones, the present being the COM
mencement of the series.
MIR. Edwards gave an account Of corn
stalks acting as mulch. and from which
q good crop was Obtained.
j. OBJ. Renick-The best plan to get
good crop of wheat is to break up good
clover sod when the clover Is about half
ripe. turn under deep, roll and harrow, SO
as to have a good seed bed, then SOW an
early variety, early in the season; If you
sow on corn ground, let the corn stalks
stand. because they will act as mulch;
but then, in the spring time, roll them
down. In Maryland they apply great
quantities of lime. Wheat should never
be sown more than two inches deep.
Spangler- Never plaster" clover If it Is
to be turned down tor wheat. Wheat never
does as well on corn grounds as on clover.
We do not take sufficient care in putting
in the wheat; the country IS getting colder
every year. and the wheat crop requires
protection, which in former days was fur
ilished by the forests.
Mr.. Kippart inquired whether wheat
was put in with less care or more roughly
or slevfnly than 1t was thirty or forty
years ago.
Mr.. Edwards explained at great length
how wheat was put in thirty years ago,
and concluded by saying that more care
or pains was taken now Than thirty years
ago. "a 4 ~
: J.. OBJ. Renick-Our soil is more COM
pact now than 1t was thirty years ago
Glover most undoubtedly is ertilizer.
u. s, InDis-Twenty years ago / raised
about 80 acres OF wheat annually, and al
ways had the best crop when plOwed the
ground three or four times before sowing.
Plow in May. then again in August. and
put on well rotted manure-then drill in
wheat, and l always had a good crop.
Spangler-That system Involves fallow-
ing; in Lancaster, Penn, they have aban-
doned the idea of ALLOWING, bee use they
believe that the not sun shining on the
bare soil itjures it-destroys its productive
qualities. e eafEsfH
G. S. Innis-I always had good crop of
wheat from clover land, and always had a
good crop from potato land average from
potato land say 35 bushels per acre. If
exposing bare land to the summers sun
would destroy the fertile qualities of our
lands, then the grounds on which we grow
onions and other crops which do, not shade
the ground, wonlt soon become infertile-
but the truth Is that by proper care they
are growing more and more fertile.
Mr.. Edwards-Pottto groom Is always
good wheat land; but the farmer always
takes his best soil tor potatoes, and as
matter of course the potato land Is the
best for wheat. 1t a farmer were to plant
potatoes in as Indifferent a soil as he often
sows wheat in, he certainly could not ex-
pect crop. Some one said that corn
was the most exhaustive crop. In
my opinion tobacco is much more
exhaustive than corn 1 grew four
successive crops of wheat from the
same field. After the wheat was cut, / let
the rag toeed" and other weeds grow Just
as luxuriantly as they wished to, until I
was about ready to sow the wheat. Then
turned the weeds under, and b .lieve Il at
they added greatly to the fertility OF the
soil for the ground was certainly more
fertile at the close than at the commence
| ment of the series. In conclusion, he said
he felt sure that following improved the
soil. sts---sf- z
G.. s. Innis-When raise potatoes on one
| half and corn on the other half, then next
year plant all in corn, found tnat raised
| fifty per cent. more corn from the potato
ground than from the corn ground.
! Nr. Merion-I consider potato crop as
! good. If not better than the clover crop as
a preparatory crop for wheat. j find oats
q very exhaustive crop. "a .it..,s
| g. S. Innis-I never succeed In getting
good crop of wheat after oats. 1--.7e .
Jos. Moek-If clover Is plowed under
when half the heaos are ripe, there will be
as good crop of clover as II sown in the