The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-11-18
Suggestions About Wheat.
". L.. Jones in atlanta Constitution.

". l.. Jones in atlanta Constitution.
is wheat profitable crop in the cot.
ton belt? Except in limestone and high
mountainous regions, it is not. Tbeyield
is zoo uncertain, the cost of raising too
great. Wheat is probably farther re.
moved from its original wild, land, there.
fore, hardy state than any plant we cul-
tivate. It has been domesticated so long,
and so changed by domestication, that
botanists have failed to identify the plant
or plants from which it originally came.
It has been so changed, it has become so
artificial in it's nature and habits, that it
gives way under competition, and can.
not hold its place, in the struggle for ex-
istence, with the harder aud more vigor.
ous plants that it encounters. But for
mans aid, wheat would die out and dis.
appear in one, or at most, two or three
wears. 1t must have thoroughly pre-
pared soil and an abundance of food,
especially nitrogenous food, the costliest
of ALL 1t has very little root power, and
cannot set free and appropriate the
locked up food in the soil. Everything
must be ready prepared and fully within
its reach. As a consequence of these
peculiarities, it yields readily to adverse
influences, whether of climate, seasons
or soils. 1t withstands moderate cold
quite we'll; but this said; all is said.
As matter If long experience and
extended observation, we know that
wheat thrives best in cool climates. The
northern United States and northern
Europe is the home of the wheat crop.
In those regions wheat is successfully
grown, even when sown in the spring.
At ahe South, wheat sown at that season
would not bring back the seed to the
sower. A southern climate then does
not seem to be adapted to the constitution
of The wheat plant. But in addition to
this, or possibly as consequence of this,
wheat is greatly more liable to be de.
stroyed by rust at the South than at the
North. This is ihe weak point in wheat
culture with us. This is the chief thing
that renders the wheat crop so uncertain
and unreliable. How to guard against
rust then is then the foremost considera-
tion in the preparation for the crop. AS
matter of universal experience, it is
we'll known that dampness, both of soil
and air, and succulent, sappy growth
of the plant, are both favorable TO the
development of rust. A dry May and
good wheat crop usually go together.
Now 30 far as the amount of rain and the
general humidity of the atmosphere is
Concerned, the farmer is helpless; he
cannot control these. But he can ward
off in part the effects of excessive rain
by selecting for his wheat fields high
knobs or knolls, from which water runs
off rapidly, and the soils of which are,
therefore, comparatively dry. He can
select those soils, also, which are the least
retentive of moisture. As. rule, such
as have comparatively little humus, are
dryer than those which abound iu that
substance. The soils of loy lands are
damper than those Of uplands, aud the
air which rests upon the former is gen
orally damper than that over the latter.
This is shown by the heavy dews which
prevail on bottom lands 1t is obvious,
therefore, that farmers judgment be
comes decided factor in the raising OF
wheat crop.
Again, we have said, that succulent,
sappy growth of wheat, fayors the devel,
opment of rust. Can farmer control
this? Yes; to certain degree he can
1st by proper selection of soil as dis
cussed above; and I'd by a proper regu'
lation of the manure applied to the crop.
Excessive doses of most fertilizers but
particularly of pitrogenous manures tend
to develop luxuriant growth of stalk and
leaves. Every one has noticed the ten,
dency of wheat thus manured to tai!
down or "lodge" The stem is soft and
unable to hold up the heads. Hence,
whilst wheat must have manure, and
must have nitrogenous manure too, these
should not be applied i'll excessive
amounts, and the nitrogen should be
well-proportioned to the other ingredi'
ents. so that we'll balanced development
of the plant result. To sum up. there
fore, wheat should be sowD on high dry
land, with rather thirsty soil and with
soil rather devoid of humus. Such q
soil is usually poor. Wheat will not
grow on poor soils-hence it must be
manured. Wheat needs more nitrogen
than most other plants-hence it must
be raanured with nitrogenous manures,
but q medium manuring-the equivalent
of, say about fifty bushels of cotton seed
to The acre-would be better than q much
larger amount. Cotton seed is a good
manure for wheat, and very poor land is
hest for wheat when properly manured'
But cotton seed may be improved by the
addit q of little phosphate. Fifty
bushe.s of cotton seed and 100 to l50
pounds of acid phosphate per acre is safe
and reliable maturing for wheat.
But why discuss the growing of wheat,
when it is admitted to be an Improbable
crop. Because, a crop which might not
paw as o market, or money crop, may
paw very handsomely when grown for
home use. This is most generally true.
There are very few things farmer can
buy, cheaper than he can raise. Our
people have fallen into the terrible be
lief that they can buy almost everything
cheaper than they can raise it. They do
not think they can buy cotton cheaper
than they do raise it, but probably that
proposition comes nearer the truth than
hit does in the case of almost any other
crop grown. By all means let every
farmer SOW enough wheat for home use.
For the small crop necessary to this end,
be cau find enough land we'll suited to it
he can spare the needed manure, and
he can take time to give it thorough pre-;
paration. Plough, roll and harrow, until
brought into the finest tiltb sow at
once, and SOW that variety which mas
succeeded best in your own locality
Procure seed little south rather tnan
far north of you. A variety which has
become accustomed to warm climate
will succeed better than one accustomed
to cold climate.
Trouble in the Ranks.