The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
'rhin Seeding OF Wheat.

NAO ~
Gently adopted by the late Mr.. Smith, of
Lois Weldon, of sowing half the land
in portions of three feet, embracing
three rows, having unsown intervals OF
the SAME breadth between them, and ne
found that he could grow heavier crops
on half the land than his neighbors did
on the whole. Mr.. Smith, too, prac.
ticed this plan for nearly twenty years,
and produced on half the land from
thirty-ive to forty bushels of wheat per
half acre. The amount Of seed sown
was from one to two pecks per acre, 10
more being ever applied.
MI. Hallett, of Brighton, offers an
other example of this seeding. His
farm or farms consists OF about six hun
dred acres, a considerable portion of
which consists of "down" land, having
from four to six inches of soil lying on
a chalk subsoil. it is unnecessary to go
at length into TIE system adopted by
Mr.. Hallett, whose object is to produce
a quality of wheat founded, like cattle,
on an authentic pedigree. His system
embraces thin seeding as a first princi-
pie. Thus, sown early, n hundred
acres are seeded at the rate of one
bushel to six acres, while the latest SOW
ing is one bubhel per acre. MI. Hal
let's neighbors seed at the rate of three
bushels per acre; he, therefore, savesin
seed alone from one hundred aud eighty
to two hundred and eighty bushels. As
a sample of what may be done by this
system, Nj. Hallett hired a large ield
belonging, we believe, to the corpora
ton at Brighton. 1t was such a barren
spot as to be considered actually incap-
able of growing wheat. Wesaw this field
under wheat seeded at the rate Of one peck
per acre, the product of which was a
crop of forty-eight bushels per acre.
One good effect of thin seeding is the
entire absence of 'under corn that
is, weak and short plants holding in
ferior ears and containing thin and i'm
perfect grain. Heavy seeding always
produces this defect; which detracts
from both the quality and quantity OF
the return. There was no such under
corn in Mr.. Hallett' scrop, the ears being
all n height, and rs level on the top
as q table.
Another u S is that of Mr.. Piper, an
Essex miller and farmer, who for TWEEN
ty-fve consecutive years grew wheat
every year without manure, except a
dressing Of SCOT, and without blowing
the land, using only q hoe to scufhe in
the seed, and planting in at the rate of
one and o~ne.quarter pecks per acre. 1t
was said that the produce exceeded by a
quarter eight bushe s. per acre more
than obtained by the neighboriDg farm
ers, and in one season reached to seven
quarters per acre.
An acre of land contains 43, $3.50 square
feet; three Bushels of wheat contain at
the rate OF Mr.. Miller's wheat, 1882, 554
grains, which divided by 1850, the
number of square feet in the acre, gives
forty-two grains of seed to the square
foot! Is it surprising that frequent
failures of the crop should occur with
such crowdipg of plants which, like
human beings, can only be healthy and
strong with plenty of to develop
their productive faculties2
Orchard and Nursery.
In all localities where the autumnsare
long and mild, it is decidedly better to
plant trees, except stone fruits, in the
fail. Tho soil is in better condition,
and the work can be more thoroughly
done than in the uncertain weather of
spring. The trees should be set as soon
a. the free falling of the leaves shows
that their dnties are over; if set soon,
the trees will become we'll established,
or get a good hold of the SOIL" as gar
deners say, before winter sets in. Even
if spring planting is preferred, it is bet
ter to procure trees now and heel them
in, to be in readiness for setting next
spring; transportation is much safer at
this season, and this plan will save much
anxiety and hurry. A mound of earth a
foot high, raised around each three be.
fore the ground freezes, will serve bet
ter than a stake, and help protect it
from mice. Prepare the land for spring
planting.
HEEL1NG IN.-There is a wrong and q
right way with this. If a bundle OF
trees is dumped into a hole, with some
earth thrown carelessly over the roots.
probably the majority will be found
dead in the spring. The right way is to
open a wide trench twelve or eighteen
inches deep, place in the trees singly at
an angle OF Sorty-fve degrees or more.
and cover the roots of each with mellow
soil, taking care to fill in around COM
pletely, leaving 10 spaces, and finish by
banking up we'll, and provide a channel
for the water to run of. The trees
should lean toward the south, so that
the branches will shade the trunks; if
mice are troublesome, it is better to
stand the trees upright, and bank the
earth all around them. When heeling
in is we'll done, the trees will pass the
winter as safely as if in the nursery, and
they are at hand whenever planting can
be done.
SEEDs.-Prepare beds for sowing
seeds Of such fruit and ornamental trees
as require to be sown at once, as many
require the action of the frost to insure
their terminating. Seedlings from
seeds sown last spring, may be taken
up and heeled in, to prevent injury from
the heaving of the soil, or be well
mulched with leaves.
Nursery rows may be MANFRED by
opening a furrow between them, into
which well rotted manure is put and
covered. Turn lioht burrows toward
the rows, to throw the water away from
them.
Harvest the late apples and pears,
and barrel them, but do not put themin
the cellar until the weather becomes
cold. This year much of the fruit must
be examined and assorted before send
ing to market.
Drying of fruits should be continued;
where there is no drying apparatus, ar
range racks near the kitchen stove to
use in damp weather.
SHADE TREEs.-Most varieties of
shade trees, except evergreens, may be
set out now. Don't forget to plant a
centennial" tree.
MANURE.-People are slowly learning
that fruit cannot be taken from the land
year after year without making a re-
turn, and that unless the orchard is ma
nured, it in time becomes nearly useless.
Stable manure, ashes, lime, or bones,
are all valuable, and may bs applied
o or in spring.-Agriculturist.
Fruit Garden.
The late varieties Of pears and grapes
and the ounces having been harvested,
the main work now is to prepare for the
ne1t seasons crop.