Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-10
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
EXPERIMENTS IN GROWING WHEAT.
From the Correspondence of New York
Observer.


Apart from the three Agricul-
tural Colleges in England, there
are many gentlemen who from the
spirit of inquiry and benedcence
take lively interest in the I'M
portant subject of the production
of food. Before these colleges
were established, the question of
farming was promoted by Arthur
Young, and the worth of particular
grasses was tested by the patriotic
spirit of former Duke Of Bedford
Sir W. Lawes and DR.. Gilbert
carried on Il series of importaDs
experiments to ascertain the laws
for this world is not the sphere of
accident - which regulate tho
growth of plants for the service
of man. Among those who take u
benefcent interest in the subject is
Sir Arthur Cotton, of whose life
and family the following details
may be interesting. lie was de-
scended from Sir Robert Cotton, OF
Combermere Abbey, Shropshire,
and was in 1919 appointed to the
Royal Engineers. Even then he
adopted a total abstinence practice,
and has lived to see it raised from
obscurity and limitation to public
acknowledgment and extensive
patronage. He was sent to India
in 1924, and went with Havelock
through the severe campaign
against Burmab. One day when
Havelock was sent out to recon-
noitre the enemy, he narrowly es-
capped with his life, and having
struggled on horseback through a
Jungle, reached the British forces
with his uniform torn, breathless
and exhausted. Havelock resolved
that if ever he should have the
happiness to be married, it should
be on the anniversary of the day
of his escape: that with grateful
memories of the past and fair
hopes of the future, the date should
be rich in blessed associations
While Sir Arthur was in India he
planned and executed his great
work, which was the construction
of a weir across the Godavery
River, by which an immense region
was benefited by a system OF ex-
tensive irrigation. lie was, on his
return to England, knighted and
made Commander of the Star of
India. lie is a member of the
Established Church, and prefers
plain service and evangelical doc
trine; but extends his sympathies
to all who strive to abate the evils
of society, and endeavor to diiiuse
the gospel which is the ordained
and abiding cause of human peace
and blessedness.
Amid many endeayors to i'm
prove the temporal condition OF
his fellow.men Sir Arthur has
turned his attention to the Guilt
walton of wheat; and asks in a
small pamphlet in which he dis
cusses these two important cues.
tons: What amount Of produce
can be obtained by high cultiva-
ton Can a great produce DO OBJ
tanned by means of high cultiva-
ton cheaper than a small produce
bv Door cultivation? These ques-
lions are discussed and illustrated
by well .ascertained facts, supplied
by the experience of some farmers,
and justified careful calculation.
According to these, poor farming
and justified by careful calcula-
ton. According to these, poor
farming means shallow ploughiDg
scantiness Of manure, and igno-
rance of the qualities of the soil,
which must always produce little
and keep the tenant poor and dis
couraged. The Marquis of Twee-
dale set the example Of ploughing
sixteen inches deep, and treating
the land generously, and the crops
by their weight and worth justified
the method.
The principle of wise cultivation
applies to the potato as we'll as TO
the wheat crop. The production OF
straw is Oh account of It's bulk, and
therefore difficulty of transporta-
ton, nearly equal to half the value
of the wheat itself. The interest
which Sir Arthur has taken in the
growth of wheat has led him to
make some experiments to ascer-
tain the actual possibilities of pro-
duce from single grain, aud for
this purpose he had a small piece
of his garden fenced of, and,
without any special enrichment of
soil, planted few seeds with his
own hands. The grains were sown
two feet apart each way, the depth |
of cultivation was three 1eet anu
the plants were surrounded with
wire network to secure perfect ac-
curacy in the experiment, and it
was found that from one grain of
Chidham wheat one of the plants
produced one hundred and eighty
eight ears, though the average of
the remainder reached the number
of one hundred and thirty, so that,
according to his standard of TWEEN
ty.four grains to the the ear, there
would be upwards Of three thousand
ataI |