The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-05-03
Applied Science and The AgrirBr.
the FIXTURE,

The average yield Of whsa,
United States is about tvelvs Il
.p per acre. It is commonly sow,
drill, which deposits the seed j.
eight inches apart, eight rows g..
monty planted at each turn an,
OF one and a half bushels os
used per acre. One man gt5
will plant eight acres per day -.
being done in september, the ess
no further attention until the rs,.
put in the following july N :.
whatever harvest Providence b,.
fit to send as reward for thu =.
gence Of the husbandman.
Prof. BIount of the Colors5o
cultural College having first ma
elaborate study of the habits End
of the wheat plant, conducted, -
of experiments in its cultivation -
the following results.
First he planted upon an exac, e..
acre seven and one-half pounds 49,,
picked wheat in rows on eigbtea, =
apart, and at harvest thresbed on. \
ty-seven bushels again, upon one q.
OF an acre he planted thirty-tuo :,
Of selected seed, and the prodpe. I
eighteen bushels and again -,
! seventy-six square feet he p,s,.
seYenty-six kernels OF extra fine =,
weighing forty five grains, and ,bs !,
duct was ten and one.half poube.
nearly at the rate of 100 bushels a.
acre.
These results are not more reu.,,
rble in the excessive yield from .,
area than In regard to the yield n.
given portion of seed. Agrlcu'.-,
| discussion too often directs st,s-.
a result without sufficiently snsly-
The means by which It is obtsins
pertinent feature of these expsrr,.
is the saving Of an amount Of b
which averaged upon the entire g,
acreage, would add anDually z
sum to the wealth OF the nation.
If we should throw into the ,s.
nually fifty million bushels o, 2,
and a proportionate amount O.
other cereals, the world would cr
at our improyidence. Yet II p
Blount's conclusions are correct
they are supported by much colls,
evidence-we bury this amount I.
ground where it is not only I'm
away, but where It actually decrs
the resultant crop,
The economic results that wo75.
low if we should be able to incrssu
production even approximately 70
above ratio are too far-reachinV fr,
scope Of this article. Our abHiy
feed an almost iimitless lncrea,.
population would be assured. II
be that every production would n
upon ourselves, but We have al7s
successfully encountered the %.
wheat markets Of the globe, and z
creased production would mean
creased cost, We might eYentua.T
able to make good our boast Of "s
ing the world"
. With a population increasing a.
rate of % per cent. with every dec
1t is hardly probable that our Tr1
tion latter the final occupation O.
the public lands) will at the b5s. :
than keep pace with its needs. A:
, fore suggested. a most progressive
velopmenu will be required if We
accomplish that.
. Farmers generally will say tha.
results secured by the above sI
; ments are not attainable upon sIy
I tended scale probably not, to
average farmer, because, hs7iIi
much land to till, he must still sl1
eight acres per day. It may occs
ally occur to one of particular il
- gence that 1t might be economy t
duce his hundred bushels By
thorough cultivation of two scrssF
than by specifically working
eight. Such a one will find tia.
and scientific methods are prac,.
well.
1t would consequently seem II
pursuit of agriculture can offer 10
ments to the student who would
become the teacher, to the b.
man who would exert his talent
| as financial enterprise, to the SC
| who would combine a profitable
4 tion with the investigation Of th
/ of nature and to the ecOnomia
H from his own observations would
\ the general knowledge OF how be
H conserve the forces of prouctioD.