Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-02-07
Deterioration of wheat.


ricrlture for November ana December
causes of the deterioration ia the yield
and quality of wheat. 1t is curious
and no less remarkable fact, says the
report, that in the midst of the use of
highly improved implements, guided
by experienced hands and superior
knowledge of the science of agriculture,
the production of wheat has gradually
and certainly diminished in quantity in
all the wheat growing states. The con
elusion is reached that the cause of this
failure. is to be found in the farmers
want of skill. h
An experiment made by the Commits
sioner convinces him to say that the
failure of the wheat crop is occasioned,
in a great measure, by the improper
use of barn yard manure. Wheat is a
delicate plant, both in it's organic
structure and the food it consumes, and
yet we apply, in aid of it's termination
and growth, the gross, ra Y product of
the barn-yard, filed with embyros of
worms, bugs, midges and beetles, Civ
ing nauseous dose to the first germ of
the wheat, and furnishing an unfit food
throughout the whole life of the plant.
Add to this the vermin which the con-
tents of the barn-yard have brought
upon the field, and then we may ac-
count for the nudge, Hessian fly, mil
dew, rust, and all other evils which we
have been accustomed to deplore when
harvest comes. -..
I trust [ may not be unders TODD as
depreciating the use of barn-yard
manure; so far from this, I am con-
vinced that human skill has never been
able to concoct combination of plant
food so excellent as that which comes
from the stable, when properly used.
But the proper use of it is upon corn
ground. After the grass has been cut
and made into hay the second year,
and when the tap-roots of the clover
have attained the size which makes
valuable as renovaters OF the soil, let
the grass grow up for few weeks :;
then haul all available barn-yard
manure upon it, and scatter it over the
ground and as late in the fall as the
season viii allow pillow it under deeply.
Corn is voracious plant, and will con-
sumo any food, however gross. It's roots
are all-reaching and far-reaching !;
they Will find the manure readily, and
the crop will tell the story of it's value
When corn IS taken off, and during the
next winter, let the corn stubble be
broken close to the ground, raked off,
and burned, or, what is better, hauled
to the barn-yard, and III the spring, as
soon as the ground is dry enough, to
harrow with sharp and heavy harrow,
until the surface is smooth; SOW oats
without blowing, and roll after sowing.
| The manure is yet undisturbed, and
not likely to make the oats SO rank as
to cause them to lodge. Oats will grow
better and be more productive without
blowing than with it. As soon as the
oats are off, let the stubble be plowed
in as deeply as possible, by which the
manure, covered before compliant
ing, will be thrown to the top, and
the scattered oats will have al
opportunity to vegetate; then stir the
ground again with the pillow, thus de-
stroying the growing oats, and thorough
Iy mixing the earth and upturned ma
nure, which, by the lapse of time, has
I'M ergone a thorough decomposition
and combined with the earth, and il
this way has been made a food proper
ly prepared for the wheat plant. The
earth through it's influence has been
assimilated to the humus which was
originally SO productive of wheat. II
the land under this treatment tends to
become too mellow, let timothy be
sown in the fall with the wheat, at the
rate of ono bushel per acre, and clover
in the spripg at the rate of 1 bus. upon
five acres IF no timothy be sown in
the fall, the wheat will be greatly ben
Gifted by narrowing it with sharp
harrow in the spring. No fear need be
entertained of injuring the roots, and
the ground will be freshened and well
prepared for receiving the clover seed.
When it is sown, roller passed over
| the ground will fix the clover seed fol-
immediate termination, and level the
surface for the reaper and mower.
Care in the selection of seed wheat is
of the very first Importance. Discard
all idea of mixing ingredients with it.
to destroy smut, rust, mildew, or any
thing else for, beyond the mere oper'
alton of washing or the manure they
may furnish, it is questionable whether
! thew produce anv- GOOD effect.