The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-30
VIRGINIA FARMERS IN SES


A discussion on wheat culture before
the Deer Creek Farmers Club, of Vir-
ginia, excited much information of inter
est from practical farmers. 1t further
more demonstrated the utter futility of a
set rule in the matter of preparing a field
for the wheat crop and the necessity of
exercising common sense and Judgment
in adopting modes suited to each individ-
ual case. The first speaker believed that
wheat will grow after any crop if the
ground is we'll worked. He thought it
would grow better on clover turned
down, from the fact that thirty or forty
years ago wheat could only be raised after
clover or potatoes. From the improved
condition of the land wheat can be sue
cessfully grown after corn or other crops.
The main secret in raising wheat is to
work the ground thoroughly. 1t should
be narrowed every six OF eight days.
Wheat stubble generally gets hard and
cloddy. IfharroWed and well pulyerized
it will get moist and you can sow at any
time Bone should be sowed as soon as
the ground is ploWed. Last year he sowed
500 pounds of bone and three or four
bushels of salt to the acre, and had an ex-
ira crop of what 1t was his experience
that oak ground wheat is better that corn
ground wheat. ~ .e Id
George Grant informed the members
that he never sows corn ground in wheat,
though he admitted it might pay well for
farmers who have large force, but it is
rough way of farming. Farmers in his
opinion oughtto sow oats. 1t saves the
labor of taking the corn off for wheat AS
a general Thing You San raise q srop Of
oats and then have as much wheat ffom
the same land as In any other way. He
prefers to pillow down clover sod for wheat.
His plan is to sow wheat on clover sod :;
corn on wheat stubble; then sow oats and
clover seed, narrowing them in together.
Some years ago he plowed clover down
and sowed wheat. The next year the
ground was plowed for corn and clover
came up pretty thick, though it had not
came up at all III the wheat. Glover
seed can be sown deep and will not de-
cay. 1t is of advantage to sow it on
rough ground, narrowing it in. .U
William F. Hays agreed with the ma
jority of the members in preferring eloYer
sod for wheat. He has plowed under
clover sod with no fertilizer and raised
thirty five bushels of grain to the acre.
He never followed wheat with wheat,
and advised letting clover lay one or two
years before blowing. Clover should be
sowed as early as possible in the spring
on wheat and narrowed in. The hari ow.
ing does not fnjHre the wheat butt is ben
eft toit. He sometimes soWs wheat after
oat stubble. sxEa Y t@t as5 s5-a1
Mr.. Rogers said all would agree that
| blowing under clover is the best chance
for wheat, but whether the plan is wise
or not IS questionable. He thought it
best to seed corn ground to wheat. You
might raise SO much wheat as to follow
clover, but it will pay better. Wheat had
better follow corn than oats unless you sow
oats and clover. Clean timothy sod MIGHT
| do very well for wheat, but if there is anv
blue grass in it is a risky business. as the
blue grass is almost sure to effect the
| growth of wheat. He would pillow corn
ground wheat the next time for wheat
again, or put oat stubble in wheat The
| latter must be- wen manfred to raise a
| crop of wheat. In putting cora ground
| IN wheat there is no difficulty in getting
it IN as early as an oat stuble. 81 hSod4eS
James Eee thought wheat should al
| ways follow stock ground and eioy6r
should be sown with the wheat; the clio
yer ought to remain one or two wears and
then be plowed down for wheat again.
He had never sown wheat on, timothy
stubble, but had heard that timothy plow.
ed down in the summer would produce
good crop of wheat. He does not pillow
twice in succession for wheat, but thought
1T better to NOW clover the first year and
pillow it in. the second year for wheat. Ri
K. II. Archer believed in considering
circumstances If land is poor, wheat
shoHld follow eloyer every time Follow
| with oats, then clover, then wheat. 80
N. Bayless said his fathers method
had been to seed corn ground down TO