The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-09-27
VOL. IX.-NEw SERIES.
WHEAT CULTURE.

WHEAT CULTURE.
Votes and Dissertations on Soil G,1v,s
Seetl, Time Of Sowiny, Preparotiou o
Sol, Diseases, Prcvcntives.
MEssRs. EDIToRs:-For ten or twe)v,
years past have been an observer Of tb,
wheat growing interest of our section and
DciieVihS that my notes and observations in
e'iat direction might be profitable to some
VINO may be young and inexperienced. in
reference to this Important crop, | have
concluded to give them for the public good
or at least Tor the benefit of our vouno
1t.E Eths hrsEs place Z H6si6r fecn FKat VI e
not 80 much in the quantity of land planted
as the quality and culture, that snocess lics
have seen one acre of land. with ;ntcII;.
gent and rightly directed culture produce
os much as six or eight acres manhood w
'ne usuaA>@ay; and right here l would like
o", JounS farmers at some leisure time to
solve me this little question: What does
lt proht a man if he keep and feed two hor-
ses or mules to cultivate and harvest the
product OF forty acres, when all that the
forty acres, produce can be made on four
acres withsood management and one horse
anG onehand Comment is unnecessary.
Ihe conditions for tho a1seinmcnt of sue.
sosssn wheat culture are precisely the same
as Tor success In corn or cotton. Whatever is
worth having in this world or the next musts
DC gotten and retained by woRK-sv6H ia y
rected, intelligent and dilliseAt Nj ff1
~tarnaSs tic + ton
and corn crops as they do their wheat and
other small grain crops the country would
be bankrupt in five years, beyond the hone
OF recovery. And why is it? Is it be. |
cause wheat is so cheap and inconsiderable
an article of deit or trade as not to bc
worthy OF Serious consideration? Who
would be willing to supply this county with
wheat Hour one year for one hundred thou-
sand dollars! rSurely this sum kept anon o.
us would mako somo of us feel bettcr. if not
ALL NV
iron che miscrabt1 slovenly, don't.carc-
a-cuss-way ofmanaging this crop, the idea
mas become prevalent in the country that
wheat raising is too risky and uncertain a
business to Justify any considerable outlay,
either in quality of soil or labor bestowed.
- no an1tn re of aattea- aud corn ia N at aansil
cred sSfisKy Tbdi96ess, but whtyf Give your
cotton or any other crop the same culture
and chance that you do your wheat and the
great guano princes Of our country would
soon exchange their silvo mounted carriages
and palatial mansions for cart and cabin.
lie that expects something for nothing will
die in expectation. My observation for
the past ten years has satisfied me entirely.
the condition being the same wheat is
ust rs certain crop as any other, and the
blame OF failure Is, nine times out of ten,
on the farmer and not on the crop. am
pnr nnfl, I, I.
emics and disadvantages, but what crop is
there that has not? am also satisfied
that many OF the enemies and disadvantages
to which this crop is exposed are the result
OF ignorance, want of judgment and bad
management I will now try to lay before
result of my observations
60 FIRST, LAND.
! nave noticed that wheat does best ON
' 6JAa Httle Siding or slopiny Southwardssl I,
profitable crop OF any ue,io,' r.. ;s termed
fsrm If not in this condition it must be
made so by fertilizers homemade the
bcst) The land must not be sprngy or
soggy, nor yet so thirsty rs to contain mois-
turo only while it is raining. This last
difficulty may be met by deep and thorough |
blowing Second or third year cleared land
gives better results than older lands, for
reasons to be explained further ON under
the head. rust" My observations show
me that the best lands for wheat arc those
that have been thrown out Of cultivation
sms and plnss sllswsa e asS NJ
be easily broken up with The 'plow, bush 81
and plow two or three times, each plowing
crossing the last; sow and harrow or brush
in /! bushels 20 the acre. Product gene
rally Is to 20 bGshels per acre with 200
pounds guano or ah'moniated phosphate to
the acre, 20 to % bushels
SECOND, TINE OF SOWING.
My notes indicate that from the first to
the middle Of October, in this latitude,
brings the best and surcst results. The
reasons seem to be that sowing ut this sea