Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-10-06
ABOUT SOWING WHEAT.
Professor Newman, of Clemson College, Make:
Valuable Suggestions.
Carolina Spartan.

Carolina Spartan.
At the Greenwood Wheat Growers
convention, Harvie Jordan, farmer and
agricultural editor Of the Atlanta Jour-
nal, stated that South Carolina made
about 100000 bushels Of wheat and
imported about 5,0OO,O0OO. At least
half of the counties of the state will
make fair wheat under proper condi-
tions. While that Is so, these same
counties import from other states two
thirds Of the wheat they use.
Prof. ]. S. Newman, at the head OF
the agricultural department Of Glenn
son college, combines theory and prac-
tice in his instructions in the college
and at farmers institutes. He speaks
with authority, for his information
has been secured by actual work in the
fields, combined with such facts as sci
ence can furnish. Knowing the inter-
est he was taking in the condition OF
the farmers and their success, we ask
ed him to give some instructions to
the people on the subject Of sowing
wheat. He kindly replied and furnish
ed the following:
HOW AND WHEN TO SOW WHEAT.
CLEMSON COLLEGE, Sept. Is, 1900.
Mr.. Chas. Petty, Spartanburg, 8. c.:
Dear Sir: Replying to your favor OF
the 18th in regard to the preparation OF
the land and sowing wheat in the Pied
mont section Of the state, submit the
following suggestions:
(a) Wheat delights in a comparative
ly stiff soil, or one containing enough
clay to give it the right consistency
If this soil is filled with small gravel,
the drainage will be good. This Is very
important to prevent freezing out In
winter.
The land should be ploughed, har-
rowed, rolled until the surface Is thor
oughly pulverized before sowing the
seed. Not one acre in a thousand Is
properly prepared for wheat. If there
is clay subsoil, it will pay to follow
in the turn plough furrow in break
ing with long bull tongue to break
the subsoil without turning 1t up.
(b) The time for seeding: The seed
should be sown just before or just af-
ter the first frost. If sown early there
is risk of injury from the attack of
the Hessian fly in the fall and OF de-
StTuCllOu ny lTOSI Ill Tile SPiih6, IL ~
joints too early.
If sown too late the risk Of winter
killing is increased, and ripening late
increases the risk Of rust, smut and
bleaching. Wheat should ripen before
excessive heat spells.
(c) Varieties: AS a rule varieties
which have been acclimated In this
section in which they are to be planted
are more likely to succeed than those
grown entirely under different soil and
climatic conditions. Varieties known
as Alabama Red May, Georgia flint,
Blue stem or Purple straw. The seed,
to prevent the attack OF stinking smut,
should either be scalded or treated
with bluestone, Zone pound dissolved in
water will treat five bushels.) Care in
the use of the bluestone Is necessary
to prevent injury to the germ of the
seed.
(d) Depth to cover seed: Expert
ments have shown that wheat does not
vegetate satisfactorily If covered more
than three inches in depth. If the seed
are put in with a turn plow many are
covered deeper than this and coI.se-
quently full stand is not secured. On
the. contrary, where the wheat drill is
used upon properly prepared land the
seed are covered less than two inches,
and hence less seed are required to
secure a stand.
(e) Fertilizing: If leguminous crop
nitrogen collector) precedes the wheat,