Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-05-04
EKome-Raised Bread-stuGs.

For II. any years it has been believed in
New England that wheat is not a profitable
crop to raise, or at least that it could not be
raised OF good quality TO any extent. And
SO our most successful farmers have not
reck toned it in their plan for seeding. Hence
while they have raised in abundance al
most everything else, they have had to buy
their flour. Perhaps we ought TO make
partial exception of corn, for while most
farmers have planted piece of corn each
year, hardly any of them have depended
upon home-raising for their supply con-
sequently they have had to purchase large
proportion, and have not used nearly as
much as it is profitable TO do.
But we are glad TO learn that the failure
10 raise at least enough bread-stufis for
home consumption is being considered by
many farmers as a serious mistake. We
talked with successful farmer of Eastern
Maine, lately. He said that for twenty
years of his farming life he did not think of
sowing wheat, and he only planted a small
quantity of corn TO get Northern meal for
the table use, and because of the value TO
the land of the careful cultivation for the
corn crop. But now he raises more wheat
and corn than he needs for home use, and
feeds three times the amount of corn he
formerly did, both 10 great advantage. We
asked him the cause Of this change, which
he said was becoming common in his sec
ton. He said that twenty-five years ago,
for several years the wheat crop was fail
ure, owing to the prevalence of rust, mill
dew, and the weevil. Farmers got disc3ur-
aged, and thought that from some change
10 the climate, or something in tho nature
OF old soil, wheat could not be successfully
raised in this part of the country. But the
high price of flour for few years past has
driven them TO make the experiment, and
wheat raising is again success. Corn has
not been raised to any great extent because
some years Western corn can be bought so
cheap that it is more profitable TO buy it..
But farmers are learning that taking one
year with another corn is profitable crop
to raise, as its culture is the greatest advan-
tage to the land, and plentiful use Of 1t in
stock raising, milk-producng and butter
making, is profitable.
We give the experience and opinion OF
this intelligent wellto-do farmer, because
we have long believed the neglect to SOW
wheat and plant corn to be a great mistake
in farming. The land for such crops should
be we'll chosen, thoroughly prepared, heav-
lily MANFRED with carefully chosen ferliliz-
ers, and cultivated with. assiduous atten-
tion. The largest and best piece of corn we
ever saw in New England was raised on
bward ground. large amount of barn ma
nure was spread on the surface, and then
the pillow turned il under at least ten inches
After repeated narrowing il was well fur
rowed, large shovel full of compost put in
the hill, the bills and rows running three
and half feet apart. The corn came for
ward rapidly from the stimulus in the hill
and when that had expended itself the rich
barn manure under the sward was ready lC
send il up to harvesting of hundred
bushels per acre. The next year such corr
land is ready for large crop Of wheat
Golden Rule.