The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-24
Wheat Growing in Georgia.

Americas Republican
DEAR SIR By the request Of
Mr. Y. 5. Witchard | send you,
for publication, my experience IN
in wheat growing for the last three
years. In the fall Of 1873, | had
a five-acre patch which | intended
to plant IN wheat, but As the
ground was occupied with cotton.
like a great many others, waited
till Christmas for the ';op crop 10
open.
During Christmas week | broke
up my land with a tuln pillow, and
commenced planting wheat the 18th
Of January, 1876, by laying off rows
L inches apart with an 5 inch
shovel. putting in the furrow 80
lbs Baughs' rawbond phosphate.
and 10 bushels of cotton seed per
acre. and on top of hat half a
bushel of purple straw wheat per
acre. covered with the same 5 inch
shovel. BY bursting out the ridge
between the rows-then knocked
off the tow of the rides with a
straight bard, and finished planting
on the 18th Of January. Had a fine
stand in ten DAYS. which grew up
finely; reancd on the 30th of May
following. turning out about l.
bushels per acre, weighing GO
pounds per bushel, and turning
out SO lbs of good flour. Pastured
hogs on it two weeks, and planted
in speckled peas; picked off y
bushels, pulled up the vines, cured
them and fed to the stock during
winter.
On the 1st of November, Isl, /
commenced breaking land again
with turn pillow and finish on tie
Sth, having been delayed by rains,
etc. Laid off rows one foot apart
with a 5-inch scooter and strewed
in furrow 15O lbs Watson & Clark's
guano, and 10 or y bushels cot
ton seed per acre. On the 10th
commenced strewing half ii bush
ell of wheat per acre III furroW with
ouano and cotton seed, and cover
all with the same 5-inch coote by
bursting out the ridge between
the rows. Finished planting
on the 25th of November:
soon had a fine stand on top Of til
small ride, which grew off finely,
and commenced heading on the
18th Of April. Reapcd on the 23d
Of May, 1877, threshed on the
20, and measured up q bushels per
acre; had some ground on the 2Sth;
weighed 81 lbs, and turned out 80
lbs first quality flour. No rust nor
smut.
After pasturing stock on the
waste wheat four or five weeks, |
laid off row three and a have feet
apart and planted speckled peas;
made a fine crop, gathered about i
bushels, and then opened a deep
furrow between the row. of pea
vines while green, and laid them
down III the row; added about t
bushels cotton seed per acre, and
bedded on them with a turn pillow.
On the 10Th Of November, 1877
| finished breaking out the middles.
planted 20 lbs or one-third bushel
of wheat per acre III water furrow
after strewing in said furrow 10
bushels cotton seed, and 70 lbs En-
giish dissolved bone per acre, com
posted about five or six weeks be
fore using. Covered wheat and
compost with a small diamond
pointed scooter.
Again, had a fine stand Of
wheat with rows - feet apart.
Early in the spring, before the
wheat began to joint, | barred it
off as closely as | could with a very
small scooter, let it stand a week,
and then ran another furrow round
it, filing up the first and putting a
little dirt to the wheat; this was all
the cultivation | intended to give
it, it as | did not wish to disturb
the bed of pea vines and cotton seed
in the middle, which | intended for
cotton; but the weeds came up so
quickly and grew SO rapidly that |
feared they would absorb the fer
t~ilizers and lnjure the wheat. so |
took a gopher, or solid sweep, and
ran two furroW- IN each middle.
shaving off the weeds and throw
ing a little more dirt to the wheat.
and still leaving q slight elevation
or lidge in the middle above the
pea vines, etc. | am satisfied that
these plowings materially benefit
ted the wheat. 1t grew Of rapidly
and commenced heading on the