Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-05-04

Wheat Culfu e


The tribune ", pay - other . .ates tor
breadstuff> j. enormous, anl severe
drawba K up IN the ind lstry OF our farmers.
IL has always beea sorry sight to US 10
see our teams and railroads transporting
so many barrels of -four into the country,
and qHite a. unpleasant to read in large
letters on our puutry stores in all our
villages, "Cora ande Flour for Sale" And
what adds TO this 'nnpleasantncss" is
the fact that a good deal of this corn and
all the d ,ur are trsnsp " ted thousands of
miles before they reach these stores or find
their way TO the consumers, most of whom
are farmers and ought to grow these arti-
Giles themselves. Why i it tina, so little
wheat Is raised in our State! We know
few farmers in his county who hariit ever
bought barrel OF -four in their iiVes, ana
no doubt there are Others In various parts
of the State who have grown their own
wheat But these enterprising and cour-
ageous farmers are few and far between.
We say courageous because most of our
farmers have sometime in the course OF
their lives. tried to raise a little wheat but
failed in consequence of bad cultivation.
an unfavorable season, or insects.
Now such tillers of the soil ought to
have picked their fints and tried again"
Everybody knows that the soil and climate
of Maine are favorable 10 the growth OF
wheat. But 1t is to be borne In mind that
the soil must be properly prepared before
the seed is put into it. Wheat is deli
cate grain and requires clean cultivation.
In many places the land shouli be under
drained. and always well pulverized. 1t
i too often the case that the soil is not
half prepared to receive the seed, AMI II
MANFRED highly enough, 1t is so badly man
aged that the grass and weeds Will often
get the mastery and the crop of wheat will
be nearly or quite destroyed. And then
the farmer will say. lit is OF no use for
me TO try to raise wheat. Aud so he
gives ii up and thinks it cheaper To grow
oats and potatoes aud buy his -four. Farm
crs are too easily discouraged. aud too Of
ten grumble about the seasons when the
fault is in themselves. There are some
patches OF ground on almost every farm
which are suitable for raising wheat, but
the farmer must have knowledge and sx-
erciSe a sound judgment In selecting these
localities.
Every farmer ought to know that dry
soil Is the best for wheat because he can
SOW It carly. And early scwn wheat will
be more likely TO escape the flies and the
rust and produce plamp kernels than late
>own. C,aycy soils are good for wheat.
bat then they ought to be underirained
absorb the moisture Of the atmosphere and
take in and hold the nitrogen or ammonia
which i the proper food for plants II j.
well for the farmer 70 know what crops
ere best to follow a crop OF wheat; now,
clover, furups. or peas are good, for they
DO not cia1 pate or use up ammonia Ike
some other crops. And clover turned I'M
der ny the piow enrics-- the coil and sd-
nrahly prepares it for q crop OF wheat.
There : 10 better manure than this.
But how a farmer hates Ia piow up : fiek
of clover Why, he ought 10 do this every
year. and he would gain much In the long
run.
We have about u. 0O1 farms in our State
and reckoning dre persons on each farm
would give u sos individuals a little
more than half our population. Now let u
see how mauv barrels OF -four our farmers
consume. TO say No hing Of other classes
AMI prof >sipn>. one barrel ayctr f'T
ei-h pcr> - .air estimate aud tha
would 4 AplIt tot ne. huHarcd and III \
thou, add psrr:,~ vAich al Ten doilar- pcs
b are would swell the amount over
three millions of d liars. ID this tribu
cur fsrm-r~ pas - other states. Now
they on sht to raise their own wheat aud
save al this none. Il home Al our peo-
pi. proJahly pay for brcad>tuf, that are
imported from other - ties more than ten
millions OF dollars every wear And II this
enormous amount c iuld be produced from
our own soil it would ..dd greatly L our
wealth. and il may be-.
Let our farmers think on these things
and vern Themselves accordingly. Let
them seieui their grounds now and each
one sow few has els of " icat. Let them
put the seed into good ground and place
their trust in Prov idence. They have not
only the promise Of seed time but also of
harvest. II such farmers would sow two
acres and reap from them twenty bushels
OF wheat It would give Us one million four
hundred thousand bushels. That would
be something 20 talk about, but more than
thrice that amount might be grown. We
hope and trust the jewellers in New Swc-
den will raise wheat enough for their own
use, and next year something 10 spare for
their neighbers. We have strong hope
that the Aropstook county will yet pro-
dcce almost wheat enough for our own
consumption. There /, no better soil for
wheat in any country. The wealth Is there
and courageous hearts and stron. arms
viii bring IL out. Now. Farmers, don't be
discouraged about growing wheat. Stick
TO II. Exercise brain As well as muscle
Select good soil. pillow deep pulyerize
thoroughly, and trust in God.
AGgICoLA.