Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-09-19
AGRICULTURE.

CtLTtftE OF bCCKwHRAT This Is Q
grain well known to most Northern
farmers. II is raid to have been former
Iy called Beechwheat, owing to irs re-
sembIance to tine common beechnut OF
the forest.
1t grows quickly, even on light, poor
soils, but attains perfection, giving re-
munerative crops, only on land quite rich
in fertilizing properties. Sandy soil
with dry subsoil is best adapted 10 Its
culture, especially if it be an old pasture
field recently plowed.
AT the North 1t is usually so"'n about
the first of July, and should not vary 10
days from the date named If sown ear
lier, the dry. hot days OF August and
September often blast the kernel whe"
forming: while if the seeding he neglec-
ted until about the first Of August. it is
extremely liable to be injured by frosts
before reaching maturity.
Buckwheat Is a crop for the careless
farmer as well as the smart and enter
prisipg one. The labor of preparing the
land comes when the hurry and hustle
of "spring work" are past, only the
growing corn demanding the husband
mans attention. Tine ground should be
as carefully plowed and narrowed as for
wheat, barley, or any similar crop. By
far too many are careless in this respect
often letting their cheapest help plow
and fit the ground for 1t, saying to the
laborer: ''You need not be particular
about the work, as it is only for buck
wheat 1t is this class OF farmers
who have, to certain extent, brought
the cultivation of this crop into dlsre-
quite. Yet it Is a grain that will respond
generously TO good cultivation, and upon
soils adapted to its culture 1t Is very re-
munerative.
IT seems to be well adapted to subdu-
ing ew ground, or IN q crop for fields
filled with stumps, as it is branching IL
its growth. and completely shades the
ground; and as IL terminates readily, II
may be sown upon the loose soil about
stumps, roots and snags with almost 6
certainty of growing, even if not har'
rowed in.
From two to four pecks is the quar
tity of seed sown per acre. Two yarie
ties are grown, the black and the gray
The latter is usually considered the best
to yield, but will not stand the ho'
weather qaite as well as the former. BY
means OF the new patent process buck
wheat -four is produced as white as thai
made from wheat. 1t is also asserted
that this process will remove that por
ton of the flour that formerly seemed
to poison the blood of many who used
it. There is, at any rate, one thing
certain, as now manufactured, the hom
makes improved ''griddle cakes" with.
out the former decidedly buckwheai
| flavor.
Many farmers will not SOW buckwheai
because 1t shells so readily and gets iRte
the manure of the yard, and Is thus
scattered about the farm, depreciatine
the value of an otherwise good crop ol
wheat or barley. Some dealers object
to buying even oats containing a mix
ture of this grain, while other dealers
prefer, if possible, to have it thus me1ed
Unless intended for grinding or home
use crop of barley should never sue
ceed that of buckwheat, for the nearly
uniform size OF the kernels prevent,
their entire separation with the flaming
null or other contr1yance.