The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-29


to twelve inches Thus in the fall of the
year the seed is sown in rows with eleven
inches of space between them. When the
ground is in proper order for working in
the spring, another drill to which, instead
Of seeding tubes, pillow with three crooked
prongs attached in the intervening spaces
between the tubes, is used. -Four of these
three-pronged plows, covering space about
six or eight inches wide, are thus fastened
on to this drill, from which the tubes have
been removed, and to this two mules are
attached, which walk in two Of the open
tracks, the four plows following in the four
tracks covered by the drill Mules are
best because they can almost walk in
rabbit track. The first blowing this spring
was as soon as the ground was in order,
and the last during the first week in May.
Immediately after the second blowing the
clover seed was sowed, aud on Monday
last the setting of clover was pronounced
by our party to be as fine setting as any
one of the party had ever seen.
Timothy seed, which is sown in the fall,
would prevent the cultivation of wheat, as
a matter Of course, but the cultivation Of
the ground for the wheat is decided adj
vantage to the growth of clover. But the
important point to be considered is the
existence Of rocks. In Lancaster county,
where the new system has been tried, and
there are no rocks near the surface to in
terfere with the drill or the cultivating
forks, they can be solidly attached to the
implement used. But in fully a third por-
ton Of the arabic lands of Washington
county it would be impossible to use either
the drill or the cultiEator, on account of
rocks, unless some such device as the
"spring-hoe" attached to the drills manu-
featured in Hagerstown were supplied to it.
The first impression produced by an ex-
animation of these three fields was that
they would produce greatly more grain
than any fields in this or Lancaster coun-
ty which had been seen. Mr.. Croft claims
to have raised last year off single acre
thus cultivated little more than 81 BUSH
els, and this year, not to be extravagant,
he said the impression of all who had seen
the wheat growing, perhaps 300 persons in
all, was that the yield would not be less
than As bushels. One of our party, who
has studied the subject, said he would not
be surprised at a yield of 80 bushels to the
acre-in fact, that from its looks, and the
way it stood upon the ground, 1t ought not
to be less. This is, however, point sus-
ceptible of measurement and exact solu-
ton, and the result will be given in two
or three weeks from this time. 1t may be
proper to add that in two of the fields one
bnshel and three pecks we're sown, and in
one two bushels aud one peck, and, it was
the impression of some of our party, that
the lightest sown was the best, and that
even less quantity would have done better
Another small field of four acres, On the
other side of the road, which had been two
successive years in corn, and had not been
fortified, was then exhibited, and present
ed an entirely different aspect, whilst it
showed more perfectly the opsration of
this peculiar system, as the rows Of wheat
were as clearly defined as rows of corn,
potatoes and peas when first fairly up.
The product Of this field viii also be an
important factor in making up the final
judgment upon the utility of the system.
The party then visited one more field,
about quarter Of mile off, on the farm
of Mr.. D. W. Raneke, son-in law of Mr..
Croft, which struck all as even surprising
in vigor, with the promise of larger yield,
the three fields of Mr.. Croft. The rust
had visited all the cultivated fields, but
had been washed off by the rains; still it
retarded its maturity, and the cultivated
wheat, whether from this cause or the fact
Of cultivation, was less advanced than any
wheat in the ncighborhOod.
That the operation of wheat cultivation
is yet an experiment, must be obvious, but
the experiment viii come very near So
luton with the measurement of the yield
on the fields we have described. Should
results be satisfactory, the system will eff
feet a complete change as to farming, par
tieularly with respect to this staple cereal.