Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-09-14
Notes on wheat Culture.

1t is hardly possible to give, in q
single article, plan for the raising of
wheat, suited to every locality and var
iety of soil. Much must be left to the
careful and considerate Judgment of
the farmer. Varieties of soil are so
numerous, climate, and climatic in1u-
ences so various and so variable, that
nothing short of q wise experience,
and scientific knowledge combined,
can give the best results-both now
and for all time to cone-from this
precious grain.
And every farmer should bear fully
in mind this fact--in the application of
any rules for cultivation of any crop
that his own Judgment must be exer-
cises in their appliance, if he would
not miss the mark 1t is a singular
fact. that none except civilized nations
prsftably raise wheat, the perfection
of this crop being commensurate only,
with the civilization which fosters it.
Every provident farmer is contin-
uallv asking himself, and using all
available sources Of information, in re-
gard to the best varieties of seed, time
of planting, and plan of cultivation
Nothing short of this, can bring ag-
ricultural pursuits up to that standard
which will afford the best results. Is
mental labor more difficult to perform,
or expensive than manual labor9
Much has been said, and written
about manures and their application,
and common sense teaches that con-
stantly exacting without returning an
equivalent, must eventually impover-
ish the land; yet how little effort, if
properly directed, is inquired to keep
up the original fertility ofthe soil, and
in all the prairie States especially.
SOIL AND SEED.
After all that has been said in regard
to certain properties of the soil, re-
, quired to grow certain crops, as silica,
! the phosphates, ETC., 10 form the per-
feet grain of wheat; who ever saw
= field ofstraw, waving in glaring bright
ness tingcd with yellow, as of pure
+ gold, without seeing a fine crop of
wheat? Farmers! get your straw
right, and your generous soil will fur.
nish the material for the grain.
TINE OF SOWING.
Shs depends on the season. insect
o enemies and other things, to be deci-
q ded by each farmer for his own imme.
/ date vicinity. Other things being
favorable, it is important that wheat
/ should be sown early enough to be-
e come we'll rooted, and also to form
t. whateyer protection the blades may
e give; and here lies the great difficulty
e in connection with successful wheat
W Iaising in the great central region be-
a tween perpetual Winter and Summer.
y Having every other advantage in favor
u of sure crops, without the necessary
al protection from the rigors of Winter,
s with alternate freezing and thawing, g
e. poLr crop is the result. Everything
N which will tend to guard it from this
danger should be applied. Light soil:
IS should be compressed by the roller
that IT, e roots may easily penetrate the
ground. 1t certainly pays to thorough
t prepare the seed bed, before the
tn seed is inserted, and if put in with a
Ld drill, much will be gained by having
IN 1t of a uniform depth, which should
lg not be more than one-half inch below
a well compressed surface. A hal
ar bushel Of oats sown broad cast anC
th dragged in previous to planting til,
iy wheat, might prove beneficial as
d, covering for the young plant; thu
OF preventing the rays of the sun sudden
'll " thawing the surface of the grount
ct while it is yet frozen beneath. Th
OF process of freezing brings all the sur
rd plus moisture to tie surface. Whel
re the ground is bare and thaws so rap
to idly, the water has neither time to evap
crate nor to find its way back. Neithe
n can it be held by the soil, and both rul
nj down together, leaving the crown AIT
ID, roots of the wheat plant bare, to
Sc killed by the first dry weather. It
to of the greatest Importance that all We
as lands should be drained thoroughly
ne EXHAUSTED SOILS.
~ Has the soil became exhausted fro1
c succession Of the same crop? The
on proper means should be applied to re
~ store it-by rotation, clovering, an
- the application of manures. If course
80 putresceut manure is applied, it
- hardly safe to risk wheat the first yea
Ns from the liability of an abnormal c
"a over growth of straw. too much sui
~ ject or climatic influences. This
in especially the case on most prairi
- soils, where the native fertility
., abundant, yet not in state to be NJ
~ propriated to the growth of plants
Ira Clay or neaFy SOILS arc conSlOere0 u
NJ. best for wheat yet, with proper cult
.es vation, it does well in all parts of til
bo United States, except from loc:
nv causes.
NC Now that the chinch bugs hay
We again made their appearance, Sprin
~. wheat will be but little soWn for fe
,r years to come, which, we have litt
fb doubt, will in measure advance I'll
NJ price of wheat. All the extreme Nortl
,,n crn and Southern portions of on
country (where wheat does better tina
iad some other crops } may profit by the III
mt certainty of the Spring wheat crop.