The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-05
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
There appears to be different opinions on
this question, and the same persons have
different opinions at different times. con-
fess that have been wont to consider the
affirmative as traditional, or superstitious
but my experience and observation in 1881
and the present season has rather firmly es-
tablished me IN the faith that sleet does kill
wheat.
This theory may appear "unphilosophical
and absurd" but facts are stubborn things,
and if philosophy comes in contact with
facts (Which l presume it never does, il
rightly nnderstoodl itmust stand aside. In
the winter of 1881 there was a heavy sleet,
which lay on the ground long time.
Many expressed their fears that the wheat
would be killed. 1t looked badly in the
opening of spring, but people hoped that
with sunshine and warm rains it would re-
vive and make partial crop. They were
disappointed. As the season advanced the
wheat looked worse and worse, became thin
ner and thinner, and was, in this locality,
almost a total failure. 1t was not frozen out,
but-died fast in the ground. Some farmers,
with 100 acres sown, did not reap fifty bush
els. Many reaped nothing. As it was not
frozen out, if the sleet did not kill it what
did? This winter lit is still winter, one of the
deepest SHOWS of the winter having fallen
to-day, March 2S) we had, as every one
knows, the heaviest sleet ever known, which
lay on for considerable time. Great anx-
iety and fear was felt for the safety OF the
wheat crop.
When the sleet disappeared the wheat
looked green and nice, and the farmers felt
that 1t had escaped unframed. This hope
proved delusive. Although it was green yet
it was certainly fatally injured There has
been very trying time on wheat through
March. Dry and windy, freezing and thaw-
ing, yet it annot be altogether or chiefly
owing to that that the wheat is in such bad
condition. When wheat freezes out, as we
say, the ground heaves mp and lifts it out,
and of course it dies. Much of the wheat is
in that condition now, but much more of it
is as fast in the ground as it ever was, aud as
dead as it ever will be. Freezing out did not
kill it, for it is not frozen out | can account
for its death only on the theory, or the fact,
as ] think it is, that IL was smothered,
choked to death by the sleet. / notice that
in the basins and sluiceways where
the water collected or ran in sufficient
amount to prevent the ice from form
ing closely to the ground, the wheat is gen.
orally green, but where it froze solidly to
the ground very much of it is entirely dead.
Snow is porous, and justly regarded as the
best possible protection for wheat. Ice is
about us porous as glass, and if wheat must
have air. if il must breathe, it breathes
through the blades or tops, then there is @
moor show for it to live when it is solidly en-
cased in frozen ground and ice How long
could person live if his head and throat
was frozen solid in block of ice? If this
theory is correct, If sleet does kill the wheat,
l suppose there is no preventive, no remedy.
If it is incorrect. IwoulC like to see it made
apparent and the agent that does kill SO OK
tensively at times pointed out. Possibly q
remedy might be discovered or suggested.
NEwTowN, Ind. LIMO,