Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-11
A Word for Buckwheat.

A recent article in an agricultural
paper against the cultivation of this
grain calls for a reply. Although we
can't sow buckwheat at this season of
the year, we can point out its good
qualities aud remember them until SOW
ing time comes again. t
Even in your rich, heavy soils, where
buckwheat and beans are only held in
derision. and referred to as the MAIN
stay OF the farmer on light. sandy soils
you can afford to relax your agricult-
ural dignity sufficiently to sow small
patch OF buckwheat. And. in fact, yon
can't afford to do otherwise. What
farmer is there that has not some
rough, ragged piece of ground, which
needs the mellowing. pulverizing effect
caused by cropping. with buckwheat?
Or he may have spot of land hardly
dry enough to sow in season for other
kinds OF grain, but which, by June OF
July, will be in good condition for this
crop. Sowing it at this time does not
interfere with other and, perhaps, more
important work. 1t can also be har-
vested after the pressure of other work
Is over, consequently this crop is very
cheap and convenient one to handle. 1t
very often yields thirty bushels to the
acre, which is no mean return, even
from good land, considering the small
expense of seeding and harvesting. No
farmer should be without few bushels
of this grain, Is a small amount fed
occasionally is good for all kinds OF
stock. r
For fowls it is an excellent feed,
ranking next to corn or wheat, in my
experience. When ground with oats
and corn it forms a most wholesome
diet for horses, cattle and hogs. Those
who have been accustomed To the good
old plan of having hot buckwheat cakes
for breakfast, will also join with me in
my plea for a small patch OF this most
excellent though mach abused grain.
Buckwheat has gained bad name
through the slackness of a large class
of farmers who never get their grain
sown in season. and who, as a last re-
sort, SOW buckwheat instead of the 9TH
er grains, which should have been sown
weeks before. Good farmers thus GET
an idea that buckwheat and bad farming
are inseparable and charge to buck
wheat what they should Justly charge to
the shiftless management OF the farmer.
1t is very often the case that portion
of corn field is ruined by a late
freshet, and in many cases this land is
allowed to lie idle the remainder of the
season when it might be made to yield
a profitable income by sowing buck.
wheat. The benefit to the land would
repay the farmer for the labor expend-
ed 1t is great injury to land to lie
and bake all through the long hot sum-
mer months, say mr. nothing of the
weeds thus promulgated. Land may be
rested by following and constant stir
ring, as it then storing up food gath
cred from the atmosphere, without Civ
ing ont any of the same in the way of
either grain or seeds.
Buckwheat, like clover, draws much
of its nourishment from the atmos-
pherc. For this reason it makes most
excellent crop to pillow under when
green. Its coarse. stocky growth gives
it a mechanical value for this purpose
even superior TO clover, making the soil
lie up light and loose, so that it is more
readily pulverized by the action of frost,
air and water.
The hot, dry weather of August will
sometimes blight and ruin piece of
JUN iuSI IL Is HlCclh IIlllUH
out. When YOU are sure is ruined
for harvesting just put the pillow INFO the
field and turn it under. You will
surely get the full value of the cop in
this way, though it may be a dis
appointment to get no grain for home
use.
Those who keep bees will find an adj
ditional argument for raising buck.
wheat, as it yields great quantity of
honey, although slightly colored and
with not so agreeable a flavor as that
made from white clover. The land in
tended for buckwheat should receive a
good narrowing both ways before SOW
ing. A slight narrowing afterward is
sufficient, as the grain should not be
covered deeply. Three pecks to the
acre is about the right amount of seed
ing.-W d. BOyntOn, IN Ohio Farmer.