Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-05-27
farmers 4epartnlsnt.


The Great Premium offered for
Wheat by the Ohio state Board
Of Agriculture. IL
During the past fifteen years
there has been very serious dlml,
mutton III the production OF the
wheat crop in Ohio. The Board OF
Agriculture, during all this period,
offered fair premium for crop OF
wheat. and also, what was admitted
to be, q fair premium for two bush
els of wheat. The specimen sstwo
bushels" were annually awarded a
premium at the State Fair, but ne
application Was made fcr, the crop
prize. Il Ddfing the years 1864 5-6f,
it is estimated By those best situated
to have a knowledge Of the matter.
that more than. ten million bushels of
wheat were inported into Ohio dur
ing theseg years % supply the def
cheney for actual consumption.
Believing that theagricultural pub.
lie Of Ohio will endorse the action of
the Board, it resolved at its March
meeting to sffsf q prize OF some thou
sand dollars" for the best crop of
five sores of wheat, te be awarded
when the conditions below stated are
complied with In every particular.
The great object is to ascertain if
there is any certain method Of fcul-
ture, variety of wheat, or coil, which
during three successive years, can be
made to yield forty bushels of good
cleau wheat per acre. q If there is
any such method Of culture, variety
OF wheat or soil, then the Board is
willing to pay one thousand dollars
to the man who demonstrates it, and
will produce written statement of
all the details.
There is abundant evidence to
prove that almost annually, there is
a crop or crops Of wheat in Ohio
yielding 40 bushels per acre; but
these crops are chance or ssscci-
dentaf' crops, and the writer of this
is not aware that in any instance has
this amount been grown by the
same person two successive years
on either the same or different plats
of ground.
The writer of this takes the liberty
of suggesting to those who may feel
disposed to com pete for this prize
as follows:
i. The seed wheat should be as
nearly IS possible of one variety,
and not half dozen varieties mixed
together.
2, The seed wheat should be
perfectly clean, and weigh fully 66
pounds per bushel. After the wheat
has been rendered as clean as q fan.
ming mill will clean, the wheat should
then be placed In weak ley, all the
floating grains skinned off, and
these floating grains used for some
purpose other than seed; but all the
grains which sink in the ley should
De eoWn. Fc CH
g. 1t is suggested by some of the
most successful wheat growers In
the State, that deep plowing imme-
diately before seeding the wheat is
detrimental rather than propitious of
securing large yield. They claim
that deep plowing in the spring, and
shallow plowing in the fall, just pre-.
vious to seeding, induces the largest
crops.
The following is the offer of the
Board, togetherwith an enumeration
of the details and statements re-
quired by the Board:
PREMIUM ON WHEAT 81 600.
The following premiums will be
paid for the greatest number O:
bushels of wheat grown during three
successive years upon the same tract
of not less than five acres of land:
no one of the crops to yield less than
forty (4O) bushels per acre:
Best acress not less than 40 bushels
per acre, harvested in 1870. ........ 1900
Best 5aeres, not less than 40 bushels Der
acre, harvested in ls7l.............. 900
Best acres, not less than 40 bushels Der
acre. harvested in 1872. 300
Best 5 acres having yielded the greatest
average during the three years, 1870,