Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-04-26
Grow More Wheat.

Grow More Wheat.
Vermont used to be great wheat-growing
state. But the apparently reduced condition
Of the soil and the appearance of the midge
discouraged our farmers, and wheat for sale
dropped from among their crops. Yet to-
day there is no state that produces better
wheat, or larger yield per acre, than Yer
mont, and it is about as sure and as profta-
BILE crop as any to those who understand the
business. Those who adopt the New York
system of rotation, with wheat after clover,
and are careful about their seed, the prep.
aration of the soil and early sowing, are
pretty sure of good return. And now that
the very best -four is made from hard spring
wheat by the new process, this kind of
wheat always brings the highest market rate.
OF course we understand that Vermont is
primarily grass and dairy state. But
clingiug too close to that idea, and avoiding
grain crops as much as possible, puts good
farming all out of joint, and we see the re-
suit in the beggarly average hay crop re-
ported by the census, and the rapid decline
of our pasturage in many places. A dairy
farmer, by the very nature of his business
ought also to be grain farmer. Except on
peculiar soils that are not common, grass
tends to run out, and after four or five years
(many times, sooner,) the sod must be turned
over and re-seeded. For this purpose wheat
is the grain best adapted, yet the majority
of our farmers seed with oats, and get a poor
catch three times out of four. More clover
and more wheat is what we want to increase
and improve the quality of our grass, and
the profits of our farms. The dairy.farm
rotation should substantially be one of grass
and wheat, with heavy clover seeding, heavy
top dressing. and a prompt turning of the
sod before the clover is gone, or the hay crop
reduced much below two tons to the acre.
X. w. Murch of Maine writes very intelli-
gently upon wheat growing (Which has been
greatly extended in that state within the
past five years. in the Home Farm. Mr..
Murch has grown wheat continuously on his
farm for thirty-three years. He says:
During all these thirty.thr years of wheat
growing, | have never experienced one entire
failure though some years the result has not
been satisfactory neither has 1t been with any
other crop ! ever raised. But on the whole, It
has been good one and profitable; and unless
some unforeseen cause arises to prevent it, shall
continue to sow wheat long as continue to
carry on farming. With one, perhaps two, excep-
tons, nv wheat production has not been less than
twenty-four bushels per acre in the last twelve
years. and has averaged nearer thirty than twen-
ty-four. Two of my neighbors, who have adopted
my plan and who sow the same kind Of seed that
! do harvested about the same yield rs mine. |
am aware that the above are very large produc-
tions and not very often reached From causes
frDl tOn mi Qu "a nh a to raal-
ize at first more than twelve, fourteen sixteen
bushels per acre; but do not be discouraged; you
are supplying your family with a production OF
| your own soil. | hope to be able to show that
| sixteen bushels per acre will return you good,
| square profit Without pretending to instruct
| anybody-for do not consider myself anything
more than common farmer in this community
| ! will simply give my method for growing wheat.
| There is nothing new or wonderful about it
nothing but what common sense teaches, vet but
few adopt it in full. In common with other
| farmers in this neighborhood, ! usually take
| ground on which potatoes were grown the pre-
| should prefer ground from which a corn crop had
been taken. But the character of my soil in
Hampden is SO largely clay that raise but little
| corn The ground Is plowed to a good depth the
preceding fall. In the spring as soon as it Is in
| good condition to handle, good coat OF stable
dressing is spread eceny over the piece. pieces
and thoroughly incorporated with the soil with a
| disc harrow. This dressing with the remaining
percentage Of what was applied the year before,
puts the ground in good condition for the crop.
lin loamy or gravelly soils recommend q re-
plowng In the spring.) The seed is then sown,
| narrowed in with a disc harrow, cross-harrowed
with heavy spike harrow, and finally brushed
to smooth down.
IL will be seen that Murch follows the
old fashioned method of wheat after hoeG
crop. The New York plan of wheat on
clover ley is still better, especially for the
dairy farmer whose objective point is grass
Still, on dairy farms, we ought TO grow oul
own corn, and now that ensilage is claiming
so much attention large area is likely tC
be appropriated TO that crop. Wheat is the
thing TO seed down with after the corn
Potatoes to sell off are an abomination OF
any grass farm, yet the New Workers upor
their strong land grow potatoes with ma
nure and chemicals, then seed down with
clover without grain, using plaster freely
(Which develops the insoluble potash il
their soils, rich in potash minerals), anC
then after two years turn over the Glove
and sow wheat, seeding again with Glove
and timothy. This course can be profitably
followed on strong lime-slate soils, but mo-
on thin, sandy land. But we have not ye
got done with Mr.. Murch of Maine Herr
comes his great point in successful whea
culture
We now come to what consider very import
ant matter the preparation of the seed, matte
too much II not wholly neglected by large mum
ber OF farmers. 1t Is next to impossible 10 kee
seed clean from year TO year. There are 80 man,
ways In which other seeds may get In. Some o
us obliged TO store wheat oats barley, ETC., II
the same barn; in which case, the different grain
can hardly be kept from being more or less mixed
When stored in separate barns the threshng ma
chine carries more or less from barn to barn
Then again, oats, barley, etc, are carried 10 tn
field in the manure. These means, In connection
with weed-seeds already In the soil, render 1t i'm
possible 10 keep seed pure for any length OF time
J hence the Importance OF sowing rs clean seed a
1t Is possible to do. believe there il no machin
yet constructed that will entirely separate barle,
from wheat, But there are machines which will
take out every other foreign seed, and three
fourths or more OF the barley. Every year tn
wheat ] intend for seed is taken 10 a separator
where II passes over and through combination
of perforated zinc sheets and wire seves and
carefully managed, not an oat, or pink seed, o
any other foreign seed, except an occasional ker
mel Of barley, passes into the seed box, Further
more, the small, pinched and broken kernels o
wheat are carried 10 another box, and may b.
made into flour. Thus 1t Is seen my seed is per
feet, almost 10 a kernel. A field OF grain growl
from such seed will present very even aspect
II the field ia In good condition for the crop, tn,
stalks will be tall and strong the heads large ant
full, and so nearly OF a size that but little dis
tnction between them can be seen; this certainly
IL my experience. No small stalks ranging fron
one foot 10 two feet In height with impeTfec
threshing machine leaves no wheat In large heads
whereas, small green, haligTown ones are neuo
! threshed clean II field wheat be sown, larg
, amount OF pinched and otherwise imperfect ker
nels get into the soil These have just vitalit
enough 10 throw out spindling stalk, which, a
the best, can show but AN imperfect head fron
which no machine have ever used will sepaTat
: the small grain.