Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-09-03
WHEAT IN TENNESSEE.
Conditions Essential to Success with the
Cereal.

Conditions Essential to Success with the
Cereal.
Land should be thoroughly drained
for wheat, for if water is allowed to
stand upon the ground late in the fall
the crop will not only be directly in.
jured thereby, but will also be liable
to be severely damaged by winter kill
ing, and we should prevent as far as
we can, both of these injuries. A
heavy rain will do little damage to
wheat If we manage to remove the sur
plus water. have made fine crop
this year, and used homemade fer.
tilizer mostly on my land. Having had
fine pea fallow plowed them under
about the first of last October, using
some lime per acre, and sewed my
wheat in the latter part of October,
bearing in mind to keep my land clear
OF surplus water. l sowed my wheat
broadcast, one and one-half and two
bushels per acre.
Note this: Wheat, when cut before the
grain has passed from the milk to the
dough state, will shrivel and give small
measure and light weight. The straw
will be more valuable for fodder, how
ever, than if harvested later. On the
other hand, if left to become overripe
the grains grow harsh and rough, and
the bran will be so thick and brittle
that no after manipulation of the kerr
nels will bring the wheat in condition
to make the best quality of flour with
out carrying large proportion of -four
off with the bran. The safety lies,
therefore, between the extremes OF
early and late cutting. In word,
harvest your wheat crop when the
grain has passed from the milky stage
to doughty one. If the wheat be cut
when the grain reaches the doughty
state the grain will be thin
and elastic and can be separated
moro readily from the flour
than when dead ripe. In addition to
the flour being finer it will also be in
creased in quantity in consequence of
the bran being lighter than when ripe.
A saving Of wheat is likewise gained
which otherwise would have been lost
by Smelling in the field. We can ascer-
tain the exact time when wheat and
other small grain ought to be cut by
opening heads in different parts of the
field and examining the kernels care
fully. The straw near the ground will
also show the time for harvesting by
its yellow color. Wheat cut in the
dough state should not be dried sud-
denly. 1t should be bound and stacked
at once. Stack so that the wind and
sun will not dry up all the juices in the
plant; enough of these will be slowly
concentrated in the seed to accomplish
the maturity Of the grain in perfection
II by rapid ripening in the sun the
kernels are shriveled, more bran i:
formed in proportion to the
flour Some farmer practice thresh
ing from the shock and hauling grain
direct to the market. The advantages
of this plan vary with the season
When wheat has been bleached out
by hot suns and repeated rains it should
be stacked and go through the sweat.
During this process the straw ant
} grain become damp, and heat is evolved
AT such times the grain can notreadily
be threshed; therefore it is not advisa
BILE to attempt it until both straw ant
to grain are dry. Then it will be fount
that the head has been restored I,
! color and presents a plump appearance
l having absorbed the matter from tn,
r stalk. The grain has not only under
4 gone change for the better, but tn
4 straw is improved in quality. sug
, gest that farmers take time and pain
e to look for the finest heads OF wheat TO
4 future seed. would also say to watcl
$ carefully the result of the several VAR
ties grown with view to comparing
4 their respective merits, and selecting
a for another years crop those sort
s which promise best returns.
= In using fertilizers mark well tn
r results 1t is only by careful compar
n son Of different plants under differen
treatments that farmer arrives at con
h illusions which best suits the specif
i requirements Of the land.
Q If you are troubled with weevils /
G wheat get fresh Stacked lime and throv
s over it enough to whiten the stack, an
y you will find it safe and sure remedy
l. e. j. Rayburn, in Agricultural Epit
n omist