The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-05-07
Culture OF BuckWheat.


This is grain well known to nnagD
4 Northern farmers. 1t Is said to shavl
iccn formerly called Beeehwheat, pw1nA
30 lis resemblance to the common
! beechnut OF the forest.
1t grows quickly even on light, poor
soils, but attains perfection, giving fe.
! rlunarative crops, only on land Quite
r.ch in fertilizing properties. Sandy
| soil with dry subsoil is best adapted
to its culture, especially if it be an old
pa, turc field recently plowed.
At the North it is usually sown about
the first of July, and should not vary
ten days from the date named. If sown
earlier, the dry, hot day5 of August and
SeT Ttember often blast the kernel when
forming; While if the seeding be neg
lected until about the first of August, It
is extremely liable to be injured by
frosts before reaching maturity.
Duckwheat is a crop for the careless
farmer as well as the smart and enter
prising one. The labor of preparing
the land comes when the hurry and
hustle of s'spring work" are past, only
the growing corn demanding the hus-
bandman's attention. The ground
slould be as carefully plowed and
narrowed as for wheat, barley, or any
similar crop. BY far too many are care
less in this respect, often letting their
cheapest help plow and fit the ground
for it, saying to the laborer: "You need
not be particular about the work, as it
is only for buckwheat. 1t is this
class of farmers who have, to certain
extent, brought the cultivation of this
crop into disrepute. Yet it is grain
that will respond generously to good
cultivation, and upon soils adapted to
its culture it is very remunerative.
1t seems to be well adapted to subdu-
ing new ground, or as crop for fields
filled with stumps, as it is branching in
its growth, and completely shades the
ground; and as it terminates readily, it
may be sown upon the loose soil about
stumps, roots and snags with almost q
certainty of growing, even If not har-
rowedin.
From two to four pecks is the guam
tity of seed sown per acre. Two vari-
cites are grown, the black and the gray.
The latter is usually considered the best
to yield, but will not stand the hot
weather quite as well as the former. BY
means of the new patent process buck
wheat flour is produced as white as that
made from wheat. It 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 flour
makes improved ''griddle cakes" with
out the former decidedly buckwheat
flavor
Many farmers will not SOW buckwheat
because it shells so readily and gets into
the manure of the ward, and Is thus
scattered about the farm, depreciating
the value of an otherwise good crop of
wheat or barley. Some dealers OBJ
ject to buying even oats containing q
mixture of this grain, while other deal
ers prefer if possible to have it thus
mixed. Unless intended for grinding
or home use a crop of barley should
never succeed that of buckwheat, for
the nearly uniform size of the kernels
prevents their entire separation with
the tanning mill or other contrivance.--
N. Y. Examiner