The Greenville times., 1884-11-15
NO. Il


produce extracts from article, which appeared in
the June number of the Planters Journal describing
Col. SIS experience with wheat; promising that he
has since stated to us that his calculations as then
expressed were more than realized, and that he will
plant larger acreage for the coming year;
ain 1877 Col Frank White, of Memphis, suggest.
ed to Mr. Stokes that he make inexpensive expert.
ment in wheat by sowinga peck to the acre during
the first three days in October. This suggestion was
acted upon more in the hope of getting some Winter
pasturage than harvest peek to the acre was
broadcast forty acre field that had just yield
ed its crop of corn and cotton. There was no plow
ing, no breaking of any kind The peck to the acre
was simply scattered on the surface. 1t came up
vigorously and afforded excellent grazing during the
Winter to the halfdozen head of cattle that were
kept constantly till about the 10Th of March, by
which time il had 'sooled" well tlrl he concluded
to clear off the stalks and savethe wheat for harvest
At harvest time he cut it. with od.mshioned cradles
and threshed it with cheap, unmproved thresher
The yield was nine bushels to the acre. Now bear
in mind that only peek to the had been sowed
on ground that had never been scratched, and that
it was closely grazed all Winter. But the most sur.
prisng result Of ali remains to be told. A shipment
of this wheat was made to Harlow, Spencer Il Reed,
of st. Louis, who sold il for slO5 which they wrote
him was an advance OF FIVE cents on what the best
wheat in that market was bringing at the time, aud
this was paid to quote from their letter ON account
of the superior excellence of gran.' This expert
men settled at least question, to.wt, that wheat
would reach perfect maturity in the Delta.
Owing to various hindering causes Mr.. Stokes
was prevented from planting any more wheat till
last Autumn although he was meanwhile making an
exhaustive study of the scientific literature of wheat
culture. The result of these Investigations was in
dicated when he put two hundred of his best acres
in that cereal. The ground was prepared for seed.
ing by being broken though but once) with Deere
b Mansur's Gilpin sulky plows. The breaking was
followed by Kalamazoo barrows and an iron roller
As fast as the ground was prepared the wheat was
sown with an improved Hoosicr drill OF the seed
used, one hundred bushels was White Chaf, the
balance Red Chaf,' both being bearded varieties,
aud from to two bushels was put on an acre &C.
cording to the supposed strength of soil. The drill
was started for the first time on November |, but
did not finish its work till December 2O-a memo.
randum of the date upon which each cut was sowed
having been preserved, The field was grazed by
sheep all Winter.
At the date of our visit, May 20.3l, the wheat on
the fields first sown was heavily headed up and be.
ginning to ripen. 1t had entirely escaped rust not
withstanding the upfavorable weather. and was
free from either spot blemisb. In fact, the field
presented to the eye an almost perfect prospect
whether viewed as an entirety or head by head, OF
in truth, grain by grain, under the microscope.
Several of the "cutsn were equal to any We had
ever seen in the best grain growing districts in the
Udon, and in this view others concurred, among
them the agent of Walter A. Wood & Co., who hat
come down to set up and start two new twine "bnd
ersr made by that firm and recently added by Mr.
Stokes to his menagerie as native called t of ag
; ricultural implements. That expert declared in
conversation with the writer that the early sown sec
ions of this crop equal to any he had seel
in his life and that from 25 to 80 bushels would b,
throshed from some of the best acres. But the lat
sown portion of the field will seriously cut down thu
general average, which were inclined to estimat,
at not lower than IS to 20 buslels.7
hay.
We believe that the experience of our planters
viii uy bear us out in the assertion that TO
adaptabity for growing all kinds of forage plant
sold in the markets of the county, Washington coun
ty is not surpassed by any other section of th
Union.
That as fine if not finer, clover is raised her
as in the famous Blue Grass region, point t,
the testimony of many who are perfectly familia
with the records Of both countries 1t will yield tw
heavy cuttings year, without injury to the stand
Indeed has been reliably reported to us wher
three tons were cut per acre the LIST year of th
planting
AS to Timothy there is less of certainty as TO tn
county being adapted to its cultivation. Though il
the few experiments that have como to our know
edge, success has attended them and those making
them are thoroughly convinced that it be grow
here to advantage and profit.
German Mlet is grown with greatest ease an,
the product per acre can not be exceed in any land
Apropos of grasses we again extract from th
Planters Journal description of Col. Stokes panta
tion
, awe found on the sunnywid plantation TWEEN