West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-21
BUCKWHEAT.
rhe value of the Crop AS Cereal aud as
Henovator of the Soil.

hsnovatOr oil the soil.
buckwheat is a quick growing plant,
and cradicates weeds from the soll. II
Is used for subduing old so1s, aud is
valuable for both its straw and grain.
Considering the ease with which it can
be raised, and the demand that ALWAYS
exists for it, buckwheat is neglected TO
a greater extent than any other grain
produced in this country. The largest
crop ever produced was in 1880, when
It amounted TO l4,617,535 bushels.
This crop was produced on S22, SO2
acres of land, and was worth sS,622,-
io% About four-lifths Of this crop was
produced in the States of New York
and Pennsylvania. Scarcely any was
raised in the more southern States. aud
very little south of Ohio. The greatest
yield reported was in Maine. where it
averaged twenty-five bushels Der acre.
IL readily sold at one dollar per bushel
to local millers. Considerable was i'm
ported from Canada, where the value Of
the crop is botter appreciated than in
this country. But small portion of
the article sold in city markets as buck
wheat flour is pure, or true TO name. IL
is generally mixture OF the meal of
white corn and various kinds of in
fcrior -four. Mlllcrs and dealers
often state that it is impossible TO
procure grain enough To supply the
demand for buckwhclt flour In MI
Northern towns buckwhcat cakes are
held in high esteem rs n breakfast dish.
The Use of buckwheat i'm the country is
limited. n farmers do not generally
raise it and the flour is not kept for
sale by local grocers. Farmers and
country millers would do well 60 take
advantage of the demand for genuine
buckwheat flour. II will sell readily in
town and country at the price the best
quality of white winter wheat flour
commands, If it is put up in bags
weighing from twenty-five to fifty
pounds. BY iudiciouS management the
sales OF buckwhcat Hour could be great
" increased i'm ali parts of the country.
Buckwheat is an excellent food for
lows OF all kinds. IL is also a very
good food for hogs and sheep. Bee
keepers can not afford TO be without
held OF buckwheat. The blossoms
furnish large amount of honey at a
time when little can be obtained from
other sources. Soil is not impoverished
by raising buckwheat upon it as il is by
raising most kinds of grain. The plants
produce dense shade during the
hottest part OF the season, which
greatly benefits the soil. The crop can
be sown and harvested at a time when
other annual crops require little or no
attention. Not unfrequently a good
yield Is obtained from an inverted sod
on which crop of grass has been
grown and cut the same season. In is
often practical to raise good crop of
buckwheat on land that was too wet to
pillow and sow early in the season. IL
may be raised TO advantage where corn
or small grain was drowned out IL is
the general custom to sow buckwheot
on poor land that is very poorly pre-
pared. III farmer has some land that
is too poor or too wet 60 prepare for
any other crop, he is likely to sow buck
wheat on 1T. 1t is the general opinion
that any kind Of soil, prepared in any
sort of way, will produce paving CROP
of buckwheat While it is true that it
will grow on inferior soil that is poorly
prepared, ii is also true that more and
better grain can be produced on good
land that is as well prepared as for
other grains. IL will be ready to har-
vest before the occurrence Of frost. IL
may be cut with II sickle, cradle, now
ing machine or common scythe 1t is
easily threshed with hand-nai. If
hens are allowed TO run over the land
after the crop is harvested they will picl,
up most of the grains that have fallen
from the stocks. Fietd, Farm and
StOc6nldR.