The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-02-10
agricultural department.
20 aOJCreO BY ALBsRT CHAPMAN.
Wheat Culture.

Wheat Culture.
Wheat requires, more than other
grains, a good preparation Of the land. 1t
requires deep soil, and will permit Of
no water standing in it. This is from
the nature Of the grain. which is dainty,
yet hardy, standing the winters well
but it wants good Judgment in the soil,
deeply mellow, thoroughly mellow, por-
Gus and breathing letting the water down
and the moisture up. II the soil is a
clay SOIL or one that packs close, hugging
the plants snug, all the better; this is
the experience with this grain. IT, fur
Their, the fertility is old, this is what the
plant requires. 1t requires well pre-
pared nutrimen,, though it will feed upon
coarse material, rank manure, but it will
be at the expense Jf the quality OF the
crop there will not be the bright straw
or the plump berry. have had the
same experience when sown upon sod.
All this points to carefully prepared
soil, aud the fallow meets this also
coruield or where roots have been raised,
or clover lea where the soil is not only
enriched, but also made mellow by the
crowd of the roots. Tho clover roots,
when well decomposed, fern good pab-
ulum. and available. as they are well dis.
tributed through the soil.
Stubble turned down, and but one
blowing given the land, is in general not
satisfactory, though 1 have known good
wheat follow barley, but because the land
for barley is better prepared than for
oats and other spring crops. All seems
to be pointing, az principal thing, to
the condition of the SOIL Peas leave the
land in irab!e condition, without alb.
stractiug much from its richness, if indeed
any, as the stubbIe and debris Of the
plant, as well as the root, afford consd-
cradle materia! for plant food 10 this re.
spect, and in others related to clover
when the crop is matured, as when left
for seed. Some of the very best Of wheat
l have known has been raised on such
land, heavy crop Of peas being re.
moved, and then single blowing given.
leaving the land 10 fine condition, Es.
pecially was this the case when the spring
crop was grown on sod which turned up
melowed and rotten. and in clay was
sufficiently compact.
Fertility comes next to a properly.
prepared soil, and ripe, as we have said,
With the falow there is of course the
best chance to use manure get it well
mixed with the soil and rotted, making
indeed soil of it. But those who have
no fallow may still do something on other
good soil Harrow we'll the land if stub.
Bile, aud give chance for the seeds to
sprout. Then turn down and apply ma.
nure. Nothing SO good as well rotted
compost, or any decomposed material.
Spread evenly over the surface and bar.
row well 10. Here will be o compare.
lively clean and mellow as well as rich
seed.bed. Grain sown will start at once,
in fair season, and start all and uni.
fornly sad establish itself we'll. The
manure applied will mostly do this. Even
if the land is not an lash heap" but
slightly harsh or lumpy, l have known it
to do well, get u good growth well root.
ed, and fine crop following, The soil
had the strength, and there was depth
Of ooseness below.
Unless pains be taken, there is no use
in attempting to grow wheat it won't
admit OF luck. There must be richness,
and there must be preparation of soil.
The past winter was very severe test.
The fall was bad, the winter was bad,
and the spring was bad (; the weather
following was favorable aud gave
US Il fair head aud good berry. A few
fields well put in and on good soil, fenced
by woods GU the north and west, had a
good yield others, without the protec
tion Of the woods did well /; but in such
cases all were on dry or drained soil, and
were put in well. Wheat will stand a
good deal II it has all the advantages Of
Il thoroughly prepared soil, Of the right
kind, and with sufficient richness. Drill.
ing in the seed is preferable aud on
rich ground rather late sowing, say mid q.
die OF September. This will give a good
covering and establish well the plant
without causing it to shoot up. And
even if the fall is quito unfavorable, aud
the winter and spring to match, as we
have just experienced, there will still be
good set, 10 a good, rich, warm mellow
soil, without water standing in it. 1t is
not likely We shall soon have another
such winter, including fall and spring
We are moro likely to have warm,
growing fall in which case it would be
imprudent to SOW early.
The last of September would then be
the time, and even later has succeeded.
Bat the course between must be aimed
at, and that will put it about the middle
Of the month Where the land is not
strong, aud no manure has been given, O
little earlier sowing would perhaps be
preferable. Where there is waste straw
this can be put on with profit. On poor
and especially exposed land, it is q de
cided advantage. protecting the grain
and feeding it during the season follow
ing. But avoid putting wheat in poor
land. badly prepared. If it is wished tc
seed down such land, do it without grain
TINS getting crop Of grass, or better
clover, the same year, instead ia ligh
grain crop, which is sure to follow, anC
which will also be an impediment to tn,
young grass or cloysr.-F. G., in Com