Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-11-10
The ;fattt1 aud ;fiteside.
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHEAT.

famous regions, IL Is not. 1ne ylelu Is tOO
uncertain, the cost of raising too great.
Wheat is probably farther removed from its
original wild, (and, therefore, hardy state
than any plant we cultivate. 1t has been
domesticated so long, and so changed by do
mestication, that botanists have failed to
identify the plant or plants from which it
originally came. 1t has been so changed, it
has become so artificial in its nature and
habits, that it gives way under competition,
and cannot hold its place, in the struggle for
existence, with the harder and more vigor-
Gus plants that it encounters. But for mans
aid, wheat would die out and disappear in
one, or at most, two or three years. Itmust
have thoroughly prepared soil and an
abundance of food, especially nitrogenous
food, the costliest of all. 1t has very little
root power, and cannot set free and appro-
pirate the locked up food in the soil. Ev-
erything 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. It withstands moderate cold quite
we'll; but this said ; all is said.
AS matter of long experience and eX-
tended 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 the 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 con-
stitution of the wheat plant. But in addi-
ton to this, or possibly as consequence of
this, wheat is greatly more liable to be des-
troyed by rust at the South than at the
North. This is the weak point in wheat
culture with us. This is the chief thing
that renders the wheat crop so uncertain
and unreliable. How to guard againstru rust
then is then the foremost consideration in
the preparation for the crop. AS matter
of universal experience, it is we'll known
that dampness, both of soil and air, and a
succulent, sappy growth of the plant, are
both favorable to the development of rust.
A dry May and good wheat crop usually
90 together. Now so far as the amount OF
rain and the general humidity of the at
mosphere is concerned, the farmer is help
less; 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, COM
paratively dry. He can select those soils,
also, which are the least retentive of moist
ure. AS rule, such as have comparative
ly little humus, are dryer than those which
abound in that substance. The soils of low
lands are damper than those of uplands, and
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 becomes
a decided factor in the raising OF wheat
crop.
Again, we have said, that a succulent,
sappy growth of wheat, favors the develop
ment of rust. Can farmer control this? /?
Yes; to certain degree he can-1st by a
proper selection of soil as discussed above !;
and I'd by a proper regulation of the ma
nure applied to the crop. Excessive doses
of most fertilizers but particularly of nj
trogenous manures tend to develop luxuri-
ent growth of stalk and leaves. Every one
has noticed the tendency of wheat thus
manured to fall 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 in excessive
amounts, and the nitrogen should be we'll
proportioned to the other ingredients, so
that a we'll balanced development of the
plant result. TO sum up, therefore, wheat
should r" sown on high dry land, with a
rather thirsty soil and with a soil rather
devoid of humus. Such 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 manured with nitrOgenous
manures, but medium manuring-the
equivalent of, say about fifty bushels of
cotton seed to the acre-would be better
than a much larger amount. Cotton seed
is good manure for wheat, and very
poor land is best for wheat when prop
erly manured. But cotton seed may be
improved by the addition of little phos-
phate. Fifty bushels of cotton seed and 100
to $50 pounds Of acid phosphate per acre is
safe and reliable manuring for wheat.
But why discuss the growing of wheat,
when it is admitted to be an Improbable
crop. Because, crop which might not pay
as market, or money crop, may pay 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 belief 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
it 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, he can find
enough land we'll suited to it-he can spare
the needed manure, and he can take time
to give it thorough preparation. Plough,
roll and harrow, until brought into the fin
est tilth; SOW at once, and sow that variety
which has succeeded best in your own local
ity. Procure seed little south rather than
far north of you. A variety which has be-
come accustomed to warm climate will
succeed better than one accustomed to a
cold climate.
CoTTON PLANTERs.- ofour esteem
ed contemporaries evidently have a poor
opinion of the average cotton planter. The
Vicksburg Journal, for example, when treat
ing of possible organization against the
A ,oo,;o,n roffop Coo1 Oil rNruct Cavc tHha