Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-15
THOUGHTS ON WHEAT CULTURE


THOUGHTS ON WHEAT CULTURE
In England, owing to moro attention
having been paid to increasing the average
yield Of the wheat crop, it has advanced
from 16 to 40 bushels to the acre. This
indicates high state of cultivation that at
first sight looks somewhat improbable, but
we have no reason to doubt it. That our
average yield is far below what it was, or
it should be, says the Rural World, is
most humiliating fact. To allow the aver
age yield of one of the staple products of
our country to be so far eclipsed by better
system of farming in foreign country,
should awaken us to the importance and ne
cesity of improvement. Why not take
equally as much pride in surprising our
trans Atlantic friends in our cereal as
well as in our mechanical productions
Setting aside, however, all pride in
the matter, it is a duty that we
owe to those who are to follow US that
we leave the soil, as an Inheritance for
them, in as fertile and productive condi-
ton as we have received it from our prede-
cessors. In fact we ought to leave it in
better condition than we found 1t. Posses
sing as we do in this latitude firm and fer
tile soil, such as seems to be in the main
we'll adapted to the growth of wheat, let US
set about the discovery of our sins of Omis.
sion. Todd, in his Wheat CulturiSt says:
"The keynote to successful wheat culture
is this: keep the best soil, or thin, mellow
stratum of rich soil, at the surface; then
make the subsoil as deep and pOlous by
pulverizstion as practicable by the use of
the subson plow." The Rural World adds
that the object in doing this is, that where
the seed is drilled in at the depth Of two or
three inches, which experience has taught
TO be the proper depth, the primary
roots which spring from the kernel,
and the secondary ones which are
just beneath the surface, viii, when the soil
is thoroughly pulverized and enriched,
make rapid growth, and the surface soil
will be filed with a mass of fine fibrous
roots, which viii form a mat and greatly
modify the tendency of the frost to heave
out the wheat plants. Herein the impor
tance becomes manifest Of reducing the
straw Of previous crops TO fine mold to be
well incorporated with the surface soil by
means of the harrow in fitting the ground
for the drill. There are so many varying
circumstances and difficulties surrounding
the details of farming operations that one
series of a rotation of crops would be in
applicable to the waits Of many farmers
Successful wheat culture is so closely al
lied TO successful clover culture that they
should always be carried on at the same
time. On our high rolling lands it is q
good plan to allow clover pasture to remain
at least two years upon which a large
flock Of sheep have been astured. Thi:
land should be broken up Immediately aftel
corn planting; then harrow it occasionally
during early summer; cross-plow it in Au
gust, and, if possible, again early in Sep
TENDER. Then spread whatever rotted ma
nure may be at hand; harrow it well, snC
then drill in early in September-not to ex
coed one and one-half bushels of seed to tn
acre. The importance OfselectiDg pure see(
should not be overlooked. The large anC
well developed kernels should only be Sc
lected. Such wheat should weigh nearer 81
than go pounds when measured in an accu
rate gagged half-bushel. The heavy kernel
may be separated from the others by mean
ofan improved tanning mill; or where one
not at hand, by taking small hand scoop
holding quart perhaps, and throwing
against strong breeze nearly to the oppo
site e! d Of your threshing floor; the heav
lest grains suitable for sowing will accumu
late near the end from which it is thrown
No further preparation of the seed is usu
ally desired. The following spring, as 500
as the ground becomes sufficiently dry, th
roller should be brought into requisitioI
Then in a week or ten days the field shoul
be narrowed with a light harrow. TIL
Thomas smoothing harrow is the best fc
that purpose. Then SOW broadcast froI
80 to 100 pounds of gypsum to the acr
To this could be added, with great benef
double the quantity of unleached woo'
ashes. No farmer can afford to sell the la
ter for twenty-five cents per bushel.
WTW