Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-06-12
Premiums on Wheat.

During the past fifteen years there has been
av0ry serious diminutfon in tho production Of
the wheat crop in Ohio. The Board of Agri-
culture, during all this period, offered a fair
premium for a crop of weat and also, what
was admitted to be- as fair a premium for two
bushels of wheat The specimen "two bush
els were annually awarded premium at the
State Fair, but no application was made for
the crop prize. During the years 1s64-5-0-7
it is estimated by those best situated TO have a
Knowledge of the matter, that nove than ten
millions of bushels Of wheat were imported
into Ohio during these years to supply the
deficiency for actual consumption.
Believing that the agricultural public of
Ohio will indorse the action Of the Board, 1t
resolved at Its March meeting TO offer prize
of lone thousand dollars for the best crop of
five acres of wheat to be awarded when the
conditions below stated are complied with in
every particular.
The great object is to ascertain IL there Is
any certain method of culture, variety Of
wheat, or soil, which, during three successive
years, can be made to yield forty bushels of
good clean wheat per acre. If there is any
such method of culture, variety of wheat or
soil, then the Board is willing to pay one thDu-
sand dollars to the man who demonstrates IT.,
and will produce q written statement of the
details.
There is abundant evidence to prove that
almost annually there is crop or crops of
wheat in Ohio yielding forty bushels per acre 1;
but these crops are "Chance" or accidental
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 sug-
gcsting to those who may feel disposed to
compete for this prize as follows:
l. The seed wheat should be as nearly as
possible of one variety, and not half dozen
varieties mixed together.
2. The seed wheat should he perfectly clean,
and weight fully Go pounds per bushel. After
the wheat has been rendered AS clean as fan
ming mill will clean, the wheat should then be
I.lced in weak ley, all the floating grains
skinned off and those floating grains used for
some other purpose other than seed; but all
the grain which sink in the ley should be
sown.
3. 1t Is suggested by some of the most sue
cessful wheat growers in the State, that deep
plowing Immediately before seeding the wheat
is determined rather than propitous of secur-
ing large yield. They claim that deep pow-
ing In the spring and shallow plowing in the
fall just previous to seeding induces the largest
crops.
The following is the offer of the Board to-
gether with an enumeration of the details and
statements required by the Board;
PREMIUM on WHEAT, 81 600.
The following premiums will be paid the
greatest number of 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 (40)
bushels per acre:
Best acres, not less than forty bushels
per acre, harvested In 1871 200
Best acres, not less than forty bushels
per acre. harvested In 1871. l........... 200
Best 8 acres, not less than forty bushels
per acre. harvested In 1S72......,,.... 200
Best acres having yielded the greatest
average during the three years, 1870,
1871 and 1872. ..,,..u"....,.. 400
40.