The Portland daily press., 1876-07-27
THE PRESS.
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Cultivation of Buckwheat.

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Buckwheat is a plant known to almost ey-
cry part of the world. 1t is eaten in Switzer-
land, the southern part of France, and in Elan
ders its cultivation is a considerable branch of
industry, while in China, Japan, and Rus
STA it furnishes large percentage of the food
of the inhabitants. 1t was brought into Eu-
rope from the northern part of Asia, and was
cultivated in England Aas early as 1897. A
large proportion of the buckwheat raised in
the United States is Cultivated in Ohio, Penn
sylvania, and New York, Buckwheat thrive3
well on almost any dry soil, even of the poor
est description. Indeed, the lighter soils are
best adapted to it, as on rich earth it is liable
to run too much to straw. There are several |
reasons besides this why buckwheat is extern
sively cultivated, namely: 1t calls for but
little labor, and the period in completing its
growth is very short. If sown in midsum-
mer it usually has full time for attaining ma
turity. Still, the success of brckwheat is
very precarious. In the first place, it is sus-
ceptible 70 the slightest frost, and is remark
ably affected in the several stages of its
growth by the weather to which it is exposed
Immediately after sowing it requires dry
weather, in fact. will spring up best in time
of great drouth; but after putting forth its
third leaf, it needs lain in order that its
leaves may be developed before tie flower
comes, which soon follows. During the
Towering time it requires alternate rain and
sunshine to facilitate its growth and enable
the flowers to set. Buckwheat is incapable
OF withstanding violent eastern winds, which
cause it to wither before it flowers are set.
After Towering, the plant again requires dry
weather to bring all the seeds to maturity at
the same time, and thus insure an early har-
vest. also believe that the success of the
plant depends not only on the general state of
the weather throughout its growth, but the
particular time which may have been chosen
for sowing, week earlier or week later
often making vast difference. Hence many
farmers, to insure perfect crop, SOW differ
ent portions at different times. The seed
should, according to my experience, be SIM
ply covered up with harrow. The ripening
OF the grain is very unequal, and for that
reason it ought to be cut at the time the
greatest quantity is ripe, and the rest will ri
pen while the crop is lying on the ground af-
ter cutting. The small amount of fodder pro-
duced is, perhaps, the principal objection to
the extension OF the culture of buckwheat,
for the straw being of little value, if the
grain fails the labor of cultivation seems lost
But Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, its
cultivation, think, should be more general
than it is, especially where land is abundant
and not of very high order of fertility. A
purpose to which buckwheat has been applied
from time immemorial, and for which it
seems well adapted from its quick growth, is
blowing it down when green, as a manure
for the land, but think that where a good
system of agriculture is established, and
proper combination of the practice of tllage
and feeding live stock exists, green crop,
when raised, will be more advantageously APP
piled to the feeding of animals, and the ma
nure, which the consumption OF it produces
afterward applied to the ground. In addition
to the flour which gives us all our buckWheat
cakes during the winter breakfasts, this grain
can also be applied to the same purposes for
which the grain of the cereal grasses can be
used. The seeds of the buckwheat are fed
with advantage to horses, to poultry, and to
hogs,