Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-10-28
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Thin seeding OF Wheat.

of the last century, occupieda
farm of two hundred acres of his own,
which he cultivated ON perfectly novel
principles, the first and foremost of
which was, "that thorough tillage is
with or without manure, to
secure the profitable growth of any
given species of cultivated plant year
after year in succession" This theory
he carried into practice for upward of
thirty years with so much success that,
instead of impoverishing the soil, he let
off part of it at one third more rent
than had previously been given for it.
He introduced the practice more re-
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 he
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-five to forty bushels of wheat per
half acre. The amount of seed sown
was from one TO two pecks per acre, no
more being ever applied.
Mr.. 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
q 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-
Pile. Thus, sown early, one hundred
acres are seeded at the rate of one
bushel to six acres, while the latest SOW
ing is one bushel per acre. Mr.. Hal
let's neighbors seed at the rate of three
bushels per acre; he, therefore, saves in
seed alone from one hundred and eighty
to two hundred and eighty bushels. As
a sample of what may be done by this
system, Mr.. Hallett hired large field
belonging, we believe, to the corpora
ton at Brighton. It was such barren
spot as to be considered actually incap-
able of growing wheat. Wesaw this field
under wheatseeded at the rate of onepeck
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' crop, the ears being
all one height, and as level on the top
as table.
Another case is that of Mr.. Piper, an
Essex miller and farmer, who for TWEEN
ty-fve consecutive years grew wheat
every year without manure, except q
dressing of SCOT, and without blowing
the land, using only hoe to scuffie in
the seed, and planting in at the rate of
one and one-quarter pecks per acre. 1t
was said that the produce exceeded by a
quarter eight bushe 81 per acre more
than obtained by the noighboring farm
ers, and III one season reached to seven
quarters per acre.
An acre of land contains 43, $50 square
feet; three bushels of wheat contain at
the rate of Mr.. Miller's wheat, l, 1892, 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 crowding of plants which, like
human beings, can only be healthy an6
strong with plenty of room to develop
their productive faculties
Fruit Garden.
The late varieties of pears and grapes
aud the ounces having been harvested
the main work now is to prepare for the
next seasons crop.
PEARs.-Store in cool room OF
shelves or in shallow boxes, not exposed
to light, and consume or market as the,
ripen. The late sorts may be treatet
Ike winter apples; when they begin Il
soften bring them into warmer room
to finish.
GRAPEs.-Only a few varieties keel
well, and are best kept by packing il
five pound boxes, after they have beer
picked few days; keep at uniform
low temperature. After the fruit i
gathered, the vines should be prunet
before cold weather, and tender kind
laid down and covered with earth.
STRAWBERRIES cultivated in rows
the runners should be kept cut off. APP
ply a dressing of we'll rotted manur
between the rows. Set out plants TO
new beds in rich soil.
Blackberries and raspberries do bes
when set in the fall, that they may ge
well established and commence growing
early in the spring. Set blackberries il
rows eight feet apart, and six feet in tn
rows. Raspberries need not be plante
so far apart; four feet each way is cor
venient distance. "A gricult,lrist.
Remedy for Damp Walls.
The following is remedy for dam
walls: Three-quarters of pound c
notified soap to one gallon of water
This composition to be laid over tn
brickwork steadily and carefully with
large flat brush, so as not to form
froth or lather on the surface. Th
wash to remain twenty four hours to bt
come dry. Mix half pound of alu1
with four ounces of water leave it
stand for twenty-four hours, and the
apply it in the same manner over I'll
coating of soap. Let this be done
dry weather. In the case of the stor
walls the following ingredients, melte
and mixed together, and applied hot
the surface of stone, will prevent 9
damp from entering, and vegetable SUI
stance from growing upon it /: One al
a half pounds rosin, one pound Ru
sian tallow, one quart linseed oil. Th
simple remedy has been proved upon