Middletown transcript., 1878-09-14

can penetrate fresh cultivated ground and
any person having the least idea of the good
result derived from the cultivation ofany kind
of crop will admit this. Now, when we see
plainly that such are the dndeniable facts,
must we not therefore at once admit that the
cultivation of the Wheat ground is all the
more necessary in the Spring of the year, af-
ter having been beaten down for seven months
and left untouched all that time, and will
therefore show larger per centage of benefit
and gain from having been cultivated than
other crops accordingly. After taking all the
above mentioned facts into consideration, as
well as the good and sound principles of cul-
tiVation, concluded to test the matter fairly
and exact, for my own satisfaction as well as
for that of others, who acknowledged that
their Wheat crops are only about half the
product they should be. To do SO induced
one of our farmers, Levi W. Croft, of West
Earl Township, Lancaster county, Pa, to
SOW about the half of a field on this new
method, and the other half on the old style.
The sowing was done about the oath day Of
September, 1876; the Quantity of seed sown
was II bushels of Wheat per acre; and ex-
actly, or near as possible, that quantity was
sowed on every acre in the field. As TO choice
Of quality of land in the field there was none;
for the reason that there is no hill in the field,
it being nice level tract, AMI the quality of
land very fair, and as near the same all over,
| think, as it is possible to have it. About
the middle of April, 1877, the half that was
sowed on the new plan was cultivated, which
showed a considerable difference in improve
ment il one week s time, when compared with
the opposite half which was not cultivated, as
it looked stronger and had fine, thrifty and
better color; Notwithstanding that quite
U PR 81 e fss cropped BIZ Hi Est
cultivation, on account of not having the pro-
tectors put on the cultivator then, yet TO pro-
tect the growing grain from being covered
with earth, which was found very necessary
10 do, or cover entirely too much grain, the
protectors were therefore put on the cultiva
tor, and then cultivated the same part of the
field the second time, about the 1st of May,
which improved it still more accordingly. 1t
was then again cultivated about the middle
Of May, this being the third and last time.
This last cultivation I thought did itas much
good as either of the former times did the
result was it looked stronger, frmer, and had
better appearance in general than the oppo-
site uncultivated tract had ; and when it
came into heads there was a marked differ
ence, as the heads on the uncuitivated tract
were about the same as are generally seen in
an ordinary field farmed on the old style;
while the heads on the cultivated tract were
much better filed and larger, plenty of them
measuring over six inches in length. Even
the straw was considerably coarser and strong
er, which of course makes it less liable to fall
or go down-the difference was so great that
it could easily be noticed without a close ex-
animation. When harvest time came both of
these tracts were cut on the same day. Thus
it will be noticed that both tracts were treat
ed alike in the time of seeding, quantity of
seed per acre. and also in cutting it all at the
same time; the only difference being that the
one was cultivated and the other was not.
Before cutting it, however, E. H. Burkholder,
a general Surveyor and Justice of the Peace,
was called to measure off two acres, side by
side, on each tract, which was separately
threshed soon after and produced as follows
Two cultivated acres produced 72 bushels
and 30 pounds, or 36 bushels and 10 pounds
per acre Two uncultivated acres produced
so bushels and pounds or 25 bushels and
pounds per acre. Difference in favor of culti-
vation-whieh was produced at an expense of
60 cents per acre-l1 bushels and l3 pounds
per acre.
Another tract was also sown on the same
farm on this new method, but as it was not
sown until October 9Th, it was later in the
Spring and therefor not cultivated until the
protectors we're put on, therefore covering
none of the growing grain. And this tract
produced SIXTY-ONE BUSHELS AND FIF-
TEEN POUNDS PER ACRE.
This tract was also measured by the same
Surveyor. The result was certainly very sat-
isfactory, but not more so, I think, than far
mers' wheat crops generally would be if they
were properly cultivated.
The attachments are simple, and will apply
to all Drills.