Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-03-19
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
Of me wheat FIELD.

Treatment Of the wheat Field.
Pbiladslphia Record.
10 few weeks the fall sown wheat will
begin TO start, and, IS spring is the most
critical psrlot with the crep, the best
attention should b, given Is While tie
plants are young Should the weather
moderate a d the thawipg OF the ground
throw the plants out, II will be necesssrv
10 pass roller over tho hsld as soon as IL
can be done. Care should be taken mot
70 disturb tbs hsld while II 10 in a very
wet condition, Another d tficulty IL that
very often, after the frost has left the
ground AID the field ia wet, o vely GOLD
night rsv damage the plants to some
extent. This, however, ia not Usually
the caas where good tile drainage Il
prAeiieed II Is not generally known that
whsatWill give excellent results II Quilt
vatet In rows, but suoh has been demon.
etrated In Europe 10 be tie mosi profit.
able method OF securing large yields. II
ccmpels the grower to thoroughly prepare
the land and select the beat seed only, In
!, order 10 save labor In ersdioAtlpg weeds,
the yield being crop Of better quality
than that produced by the broadcast
system.
The compon practice with the msjority
Of wheat growers 10 TO dr.ll in the seed,
and many Of them drill superphospnAte
at the time Of putting in the seed. The
wheat crop, however, Is one that re-
spends TO kind treatment, and the use Of
the harrow over the field in the pprinR
usually results In increasing the yield Of
grain, IS we'll a. stimulating growth
early. Wheat Ia very partial to nitro
genous fsrtilixers, though the phosphates
are also beneficial. In some sections the
farmers apply guAno, while In others
sHlphste OF ammonia IL used. The ordi.
nary fertilizers sold as superphosphats
oftan contain large proportion Of nitro
gen also, but, though such applications
are beneficial, II Will be found best 4
give dressing Of some heterogeneous fer
tilizer In the spring At the time Of hAr
rowing the field. For this purpose
nitrate Of soda Is more generally pre-
ferred, owing TO its being so readily
soluble In water. Whether the sodl
benefits the growing wheat or not Ia ye
to be determined, as 1t Ia claimed tina
soda does mot enter largely into the com
position Of the plants. But there Ia n,
doubt that II assists In rendering solubl
the silica which is essential to the plants
and which Ia one Of the most importsn
elements appropriated a. food by tn
crop. Silica Ia very plentiful substano
in all soils, but II is so insoluble as TO b
almost useless, and Il Ia never applied 4
the fertilizers, but ia changed in compost
tion In the soil by the chemical action q
lime, potAsh, soda, salt and acids.
Although an application Of superphoI
phAte may have been made in the fall,
slight dressing Of the same substanc
during the spring, in connection with III
nitrate Of soda, usually gives good r,
suits. In . few days after the Applici
ton greener tinge will appear on th
plants, and they will grow very fas
even whore the crop Ia siokly and seen
unpromising. Nitrate Of coda Ia know
a. Chill saltpeter, and ranges in pric
for the crude article, from four 70 a,
cents . pound. The quantity REQUIRE
for an acre ia from 100 TO 200 pounds, ar
though perhaps apparently expensive
more than pays for such Investment
the benefit TO the growing crop and yiel
at harvest time.
The cheapest mode Of improving Il
crops, however, Ia the narrowing OF 81
held in the spring. And In cases whe
the area devoted to wheat is small II vi
be an improvement 10 carefully reno
all the cookies and other,,vssds by pulliI
them out By hand, in order to avoid au,
seeds the succeeding season. The hs
rowing Of the field will also cover u
seeds Of clover, should such crop be SOW
on the wheat field, thus insuring bett
stand Of clover and more uniform AppeA
ance In its growth.