The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-08-26
fur the farmer.
having OF WHEAT.


her IN advise our wheat growing friends 10 SOW
their wheat earlier than has been customary ioi
many years past and We seized the occasion
express the feeln of pleasure with wnlchs ;n'y
had been impressed, at learning that fais so",
had within the last few years, fewer .s Eli
than heretofore. The dread of ravaSes hsat
attacks of the HesSidR fly to early SOW ~, after
originated the custom of late sowing s;nce
very mature consideration, we nav messed the
come to the conclusiOn-and often g ~ anraben
on;n;on-tbat there is less danger 70 DC P,
ded from the autumnal ATTACKS o. H. .ffects of
tive insect than there are II"" H. The aItar-
Winter and early Spring klii,I ~ ,rouud where
nate thawing and freezing OF tno a,r;n,r a.,
tIL.".. ,,i,nts have not had time, o"inS 70
tbe Iateness of the seed beng snMn' :; ,,'a III
their roots and imbed themselves ~ ~: oi
11eii :. - a,-cr appeared cousonant with rea-
10 US IL n -. eIpects the plant to sustain 1T
so' ;,aIitv TO maintain its position IN the
oartb-sbouId at least give II time before the
Sat cots in to elaborate ITS roots, anu thereoy
cnra 10 itself sufficient vigor, strength ana ex-
i 10 sustain its rOOt-hOld, and defy the
P,root;ng Influence of sudden cOntractions and
aIEnonsions of the earth during the periods emu
merated -: r
this grain should take place, We will remark,
that In the prepardtioR of the ground great
shouId be taken. That wherever the ground to
be sown is a clOver-ley, OF grass sward, that the
utmost pains should be observed IN ploughng
in order that there be no bnlks left. The plough
ing should also be deeply performed, SO that the
bed and pasture of the plants may be increased
in DEPTH TO afford the greater facility to the de-
scent of their roots, and consequent security
against frost. Nor should less pains be taken in
narrowing, it being indispensably necessary that
the soil should be brought into the most perfect
state of pulveriZation and subdivision OF which
it is susceptible. The finer and more minnie the
filth, the less will be the impeachment offered to
the rootlets, whether their means of snstenance,
descent or horizontal spread, be considered. In
this reduction of the soil to fineness of filth,
heavy roller should be brought to the aid OF the
harrow-for there can be no greater truth adj
duced than this, that much of the chances OF sue
cess depend upon the fact of the perfect nature
Of the preparation of the soil before crop shall
have been committed to its nurture.
With respect to the management Of seed prepar- |
atory to its being sown, We would remark-that
as the smut is a disease perfectly within the con-
troll of preventive means, no wheat grower should
sow his seed without first resorting 10 those |
means, and the fnducement to do SO Is the great |
en- because they are not expensive, as the folloW-
ing recipe will prove. Let the wheat to be sown,
be first ,rasbed in clean water, until the water
ceases to be colored, then make brine OF salt,
of strength to float egg, sufficient to cover the
quantity of wheat intended to be sown eacn day.
After the wheat is put in this Brine stir it about,
skim off all the light, defective grains and seed
which float on the surface, and give these to the
stock. Let the seed remain in the soak for II
hours when about to SOW it, strain of the brine
and dry the seed in slaked lime, or ashes. No
than Is INTENDED 10 be SOacR
This process will not only be preventive of
smut, but will quicken the termination of the
seed, and give an impetus to the growth of plants
"a thing of the very first moment, both as
CARDS the depredations of the fly, and the sub
Sequent effects of the frost.
In the selection Of seed those varieties or kinds
IF wheat should be preferred, which combine
hardness, vigor of growth, and
early maturity, and which, from experience, are
known to possess, in the highest degree, the
property of resisting the attacks Of the fly. The
Earlier the period at which wheat natures in
Summer, the less danger is there to be apprehen-
led from the effects of rust; for, without assum-
ng it to be fact, we incline TO the opinion that
he peculiar and murky condition of the atmOs-
Ihere consequent upon rains and hot suns which
s apt to prevail in midsummer, has much in
iuence in the production of that disease, and
hus believing, we feel ourselves called npOn to
the sowing of the early maturing
md copstitutiOnally vigorous varieties.
After the seed shall have been sOwn, covered,
md the ground narrowed or rolled, water fur
ows must be carefully run, at proper distances, q
as to carry off all excess of water, SO that the
Dung plants of the wheat may be permitted to
epose in dry beds throughout Winter and early "
pring. If the ploughing shall have been deep q
nd through, the filth fine, and the burrows kept
yell cleared out, so as to prevent the superabuu-
ant water, we feel satisfied that there would be
ess suffering from what is called Winter killing
+ spewing up.
AS to the quantity Of seed per acre, will OBJ
erve, that less than bushels per acre should
ever be sown, as it should he the object of the
Fheat-grOwer, to give to the earth a sufficiency
I seed to oOrer it with wheat plants, to the ex-
fusion of weeds.
1t sometimes happens that worms attack the
Iheat plant in the early stage of its growth
his, we believe, may be prevented, by sowing | |
rom two to four bushels of salt per acre, over Z
be wheat field after the plants shall have come c
p. Nor will this be the only benefit to accrue
h. ,.F&1 H., IL
s an absorbent, and thus provide pabulum from
he atmosphere for the nurture of the wheat t
lant-its well known affinity for the element,
3 is evinced by its efforescence when exposed l
it, is proof of the fact e
As Potash, Lime, aud PhOsphoric Acid, are al
-ays detected in the grain and straw of wheat, Il
hen submitted to analysis, should it be the y
uty of every grower to see that these salts are !
resent in his grounds. Stone, lime and ashes b
ill supply the two frst-while ground bones
yster shell lime, shell mari, will provide the
liter. Therefore, if the land on which wheat is
0 be grown, should be deficient in these mineral
lanures, that deficiency should be supplied. b
or all present purposes, 10 bushels of stone Il
me. 5 OF ashes, of either oyster shell lime, or
round bones will answer. If used for the pur- il
oses named, they should be mixed together in
omposits, event spread over the land. and be 5
thoroughly incorporated with the soil by har-
owing them in so as to bring their action the
lore Immediately into operation. The value of '
MS compost would he greatly increased, by the
EDITION of a few bushels of salt per acre. When,
owever, salt shall form q constituent part of 4
he compost, the mixture should be permitted E
remain in pile for some weeks before being |
sed, in order that there he time allowed for the
eeessary chemical union between the lime and
at to take place.
We have recommended sdlt-briRe as a soak, as a l
reventive of smut there are various others
ut as We go in for cheapRess, and we do kROW
his to be eficacious, we prefer it to the more
duplicate and expensive knds.-4meriodR Far
Ter.