, 1876-09-09
WINTER WHEAT,

N The Editor af The Tribune.
CHICAGO, Scpt. Y.-1n tic carly history Of tho
9tnta Of Illinois winter wheat was raised in
great quantities and Of very fine qnnflty. Or
lntn ycars 1t has entirely been supDfanted by
spring wheat and other kinds Of spring grain.
The question Is frequently askeL, Wing caM 1t
not be raiscd now! Nu lave very rich md
prolific soIl quality Of soil TINT IN other parts
Of the cnliHtfy produces crops vi wheat of good
alas!ty and quantity. Tho main cause Ut tho
failure Of tho wheat crop In Northern Illinois,
1t is said, is the presence Of tho cllntz-huE md
other enemies vi similar character. In Western
New York the finest crops of Winter wheat were
raised of my portion Of the country. "ucneaco
wheat and Heneseo fourn wcre Tho lcadiug
brands of wheat and four in both this country
and Europc for ,1carly q half a century. THIS
destruction Of the whcat-crop in Western New
York In 1866 by tho appearance Of tic weeyI.
But by m improved system Of cultivation It has
In nicasure been restored.
Cannot tho raising OF Wlntey-Whcat be restored
III Northern Illinois by an improved system ni
cultivation This subject has bccn brought to
my mind recently by receiving aet tor from John
NJ. Hciges,, OF York. pcnnsylvanla, giving m
BY hin iii ratsin9 winter Wheat. 1fe prepares
Ills ground In tho ordinary way by deep pluw-
ftlg and thorough narrowing, completely p,ilycr-
izlng the soll. Previous to sowing, ho throws
up rlubea uBOut ~ lHGlIlS ny thelT unSGt tNfllIE
n 1eyef space between tho ridges Of 10 inches III
width, EicasurinE from thu bHse Of the ridge In
throwing up the rflgrs he uses q "Ato,iarch"
cuittyator, and leaves tho space between the
ridges lcvel. lie aoFs broadcast one ni,t1 lnlf
bushels per mere, aud follows with common
spike harrow ~ THO sanio direction with
drag to level tho ridges. Tic wheat sown GU
the ridges is narrowed down into the SPACES be-
twgcn tho ridges Thls leaves nm open space Ut
III inches hctween The 1tncR OF growing wl,cat.
lie sows his wheat never cnr]icr than The 9th
Uf September. The spaces between the rows Of
wheat are plowcd or cultivated tho same as you
cutiyato corn. This cat BE- DONE by any cum
1non cultlvator, aud onc Or Two cultivattngs Will
Of culture Is crop Of wheat of Gtty-o,se d.sh-
tls and t,centv-ttsY t1andt 1xr acre un tho aatlo
GROUND that, unlcr the old system Ut culture,
produced only twcnty-thrco bushels per ncre.
Ills crop this year weighs u pounds per busf.ei.
From nil examination Ut photograph Of the
by Mr.. 1lelgcs, ehould infer tint the growth
wi,a cnoriuOlls. Tic stalks arc very tall, and of
uniform licigitth; the heads arc very largu und
plump. In ciiltivattng wheat III this manner 1t
ls no more expense or trouble than cultlvatlng
tic same number of acres of corn, and 1t con
ho harvested In the same tnanner IA nj ordinary
crop OF wheat. -
1'lIs subject Is one we'll worth tho attention
OF Western farmers, particularly the farmers Of
Northern Illinois. If wheat soyn and cnlttyat-
ell In tho tnar1ner at}ove described produces ovcr
81 bushe!s to the acre, ard With no moro
trouble or labor tflau cultvating crop of corn,
It ought to stimulate some Of our cntcrprtsinE
less, would furnish any Information as to tho
method of Culture or variety or quality Of seed
to Se used. Respectfully,
JAS. A. CoWIEs.