The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-08
SUPPLEMENT ON WHEAT.

Since writing my bulletin on wheat my
attention was called to what James Will
son, Secretary of Agriculture at WASH
ington, D. c.. recently said on this SUBJ
ject and we give our readers what he
has to say regarding this matter:
"Our great fields along the northern
border are refusing to grow wheat and
unless the American farmers change
their method of growing this product
there will be a large increase in the
price of bread stuffs. At present the
average production of wheat to the acre
In this country is eight bushels while In
Europe the farmers grow thirty. Last
year the American wheat crop was sick
ly and this indicates that the land re-
fuses to grow wheat any longer on a
profitable basis. In order to save the
wheat fields of the United States we have
sent an expert to the northern part OF
Norway and Sweden to find legumes
which will grow in cold climates If
the wheat farmers of the great north
west expect to grow wheat at a profit
they must rotate their crops. At pres
ent we have no leguminous plants which
will grow In the northwest that can
be rotated with wheat.
with continued decrease in the yield
in the northwest the farmers of Iowa,
illinois, Kansas and Nebraska will begin
growing wheat again, but they will not
do so until they can get at least dollar
bushel for it,
This time warning and advice from
our secretary of agriculture comedies ex-
actly with all that we have had to say
on this subject of wheat growing.
The matter of keeping up the fertility
of the soil by the use of legumes is the
most important of all. When the new,
virgin, soil Is robbed of this organic mat
ter 1t must be restored, III we expect
to grow profitable crops Of wheat. Ihe
great rich fields of the northwest are
being fast robbed of this plant FOOD
and as the secretary states, TINS sectlon
is at a great disadvantage in not having
leeumes that may be grown in a rotation
with wheat This shows what great
advantage the sta es of the central west
and south have In this matter they nav
ing q large line of leguminous plants tnat
may be grown in rotation with wheat
This statement from the secretary also
confirms what the writer has Deen con-
tending for in all his writings and lee
tnres-that other sections besides the
great northwest must be brought into the
growing of wheat. In addition to the
states which the secretary has men Toned
for the growth of wheat may be added
Kentucky, Tennessee. Alabama, Missouri
Indian Territory, Oklahoma and Texas
| as all of these have a large line OF iegu-
minous plants that can be grown to per-
lection, and where the soil can be cheap
w kept UP to high state of fertility,
and thus the growing of wheat be made
| very profitable.
| But as the secretary says. farmers or
! these states will not grow wheat unless
| they can get a dollar a bushel for 1t.
| Now the best plan to secure this price
will be to grow only a first-class high
4 hn
| following the instructions as given In
the pages of this little book But here
| is another thing. In most of the states
| of the south and great southwest men
| toned 1t has become an established taet
| tina the soft red winter wheats are best
| suited for these sections. But what can
| be said for the demand for the flour
| made from these soft winter wheats? In
answer to this we quote a paragraph
from the foreign correspondence in the
| recent issue of one OF our leading milling
Journals, which reads as follows
american patent -four Is still out OF
| reach and looks like keeping so until
| new crop flour can be offered. The fact
| that holders of the small stocks OF this
| flour can get 32s Cd for the top brands
is a testimony to the high appreciation
some of our bankers have of winter pat
| emit Spring patent sells up to BIS. but
| parcels having the Canadian blend are
! Offering at less. High-class bakers are
| at a loss what to 40 to get substitutes
! for soft winter patent. Time was when
! this -four sold several shillings lower
| than spring. but the quality and haVor
! of the bread ii makes is much superior
to any other flour in the world, excepting
Hungarian"
This increasing foreign demand for the
| flour made from our soft winter wheats
! insure a good price for such wheat, ana
should greatly encourage the farmers OF
| the great southwest in growing a high
grade of the soft winter wheats.