Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-03-09
BUcKWHEAT THRIyES.
WEST VIRGINIA STANDS SIXTH IN
POINT or PRODUCTION.
No Longer "a JOKE About the Buckwheat
Industry--Preston County Takes
the notwithstanding and
Valuable Experiment

luz Bile Experiment
1t Is no longer a joke about the
buckwheat raising of West Virginia.
and on Preston county neighbors will
rejoice to hear that West Virginia
stands sixth in the production Of the
little ceresI which makes the delicious
brown cakes. The West Virginia
Agricultural experiment station has
been conducting special experiments
in -egard to the production Of buck
wheat. For three years they have
been studying the influence of differ
ent fertilizers upon the yield OF the
grain, and have also made comparl-
sons of the important standard vari-
ties of buckwheat. These expert
ments have been conducted on a farm
near R~eedsyille, leased by the sta
ton.
According to carefully prepared
statistics of the u. S. Department q
Agricultural, there are but five states
in the Union. New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Michigan, Maine and Wis
~copsin, which produce more buck
wheat than West Virginia, while
there are twenty to twenty-five states
which produce respectively more
corn, wheat, rye and potoatoes.
This fact indicates that much of this
state in climate and soil is well adapt
ed to the growth of this crop. Espe-
cially is this true, from all the facts
in sight in the higher attitudes of the
state, in the region of the Allegheny
mountains, along the eastern and
central portions of the state. A COM
parison of market values will indl-
cate a very favorable showing in the
growing of buckwheat, along with
the wheat, rye and other grain as the
price per pound of that crop is we'll
up with that of other cereals. The
demand for buckwheat -four is con-
stantly increasing at home and abroad
and much more attention could profit
ably be given to the cultivation ard
\ PRODUCTION Vi thlc 1lop W thQ a.
ers of West Virginia.
In addition to the experiments with
varieties and fertilizers a large series
of experimental plats have been sown
for the purpose of ascertaning the
effect upon this crop of sowing at
different times in the season and very
striking results from these eyoeri-
ments have already, been observed.
The times of sowing were begun as
early as the first Of May, aud have
been continued, with sfo t intervals,
down to the first of August. Expert
ments have also been made in the
methods of preparing the sol for this
crop and the amount of seed to be
sown to the acre.
Next year it is intended to conduct
cooperative experiments with farm
ers in different counties of the state
to further exemplify and test the work
that has been done upon the farm and
experimental grounds of the station.
In the fertilizer experiments it was
| observed that applications of phos-
phoric acid resulted in a ve~y much
greater increase in yield of the crop
than that of any other pant food
used, and in most cases that no APP
preciable increase followed the use of
heterogeneous fertilizers; although the
prevailing idea that highly nitrogen
Gus manures upon this crop caused
a marked tendency to lodge, was not
confirmed. 1t is worthy of notice
that the phosphoric acid in the-form
of common acid phosphate which so
much increased the yield, is the
cheapest plant food in commercial
form to be found on the market.
1t was also shown that carefully
prepared soil, with sufficiently early
blowing exerted a very p~fofitable in
fiuence upon the growth and yield of
the grain. In the experiments with
so wing at different times the results
are very striking indeed. In some
cases the amount of grain produced
being more than double the yield of
a different time. 1t Will be seen from
the results that in a more rational
use of fertilizers together with a bet
ter preparation of soil and a more
timely sowing, it will be very easy
for the farmers of West Virginia to
more than double their income from
| this crop and thus make West Vir-
ginia first in it's production, and this
result can be brought about without
any material interference with the
other pursuits of the farmers upon
their lands, thus adding many thous-
ands of dollars to their annual income.
JUDGE GUTHRIE ILL.
Charleston, W. Va, March 6. -
! When the circuit court met yesterday
morning it was announced that Judge
Guthrie was too i'll to hold court and