Year: 1877

1


upon to get ready to SOW his wintel


grain. And here considerable respon


sibilities rest upon him. The selection


Of his seed, which should be changed


at least every third year, and the OBJ


tainment Of such fertilizers as are suit.


able for the crops he is about to put irl


the ground. This latter is a most i'm


portant matter to be considered, for il


is now beyond any doubt settled


question that no one whose land is not


in high condition and naturally fertile


can afford to dispense with the fertili-


zers Of commerce to exc out the limited


supply Of manure which his farm yard


supplies; and even the latter is made


far more valuable BY the commingling


of the mineral and organic manures in


their application Of the same to the


soil. And even those who have rich


or well improved soils find that the


application Of the fertilizers of COM


merce adds very largely to their grains


wherever judiciously applied. Due


caution, however, is to be observed in


obtaining such fertilizers as contain


the ingredients necessary as food for
the plants, the principal Of which are
phosphoric acid, ammonia and potash.


The principal complaints which we
have seen in regard to the late crop
ping that damage has been sustained
in some sections, not to a very great
extent, it is true, from the depredations
Of the midge and the Hessian fly, and
in some cases from the rust. This lat
ter difficulty is believed to be remedied
by simple process at the command
Of the farmer, which we have often
commended to the attention of our ag-
friends, which is the soaking
Of the seed in a solution Of blue vitriol
or copperas before sowing, which we
believe has been found a sure remedy
against this evil.


The process of preparing and using
The soak we here add:


dissolve three pounds Of bluestone
n a wooden bucket. using hot water
Put fifty to sixty gallons of water in a
rough and pour in the solution. Take
iacks of wheat and divide them into
,ther sacks, to make them convenient |
o handle. Immerse them in the
rough for three or four minutes; then
ift them on platform, where they
viii drain into the trough. Add blue
tone and water from time to time, 50
IS to use four to six pounds of blue
tone to each ton of wheat"


The midge and Hessian fly have ap-
reared in Michigan this season, and
ears are entertained that much dam
ige viii be done to the grain crops in
he future, as one of the most effective
against these pests, that of the
citation Of crops, is in danger Of being
with by the demand for
Fheat, which will be likely to induce
armers to overlook this danger, and
esow their wheat land with the same
rain the second year. By the adoption
{ this course the midge, which pupates
D the ground, would be furnished with
BOD close at hand on its emerging in
he Spring. And, with the Hessian9
y, which goes through its proper form
4 the stem of the wheat, the large
readth Of winter wheat sown, and the
eneral earliness Of the opera tion, full
| exactly the conditions wanted to in
uce a joint attack. And, if these
ests come together, there will be a Sc
iOus time Of it during the next four
ears.


The Canada Farmer, commenting
pom this danger remarks: 'To escape
Id y we must SOW late, and five wish
} get the wheat SO far advanced as to
e out Of the way of the midge when it
ppears in perfect form in June or
uly, we must SOW early. The wheat


bound to be caught by one enemy or
ne other, and thus stands a double
hanee Of destruction from two foes,
ither of which is fully competent to
ispose of it. The entomologist of the
agricultural College Of Michigan men
ons one way in which something might
e done to prevent damage, viz: to sow
irly, thus defeating the midge, and to
asture sheep upon the fall wheat, thus
'eding off the stems In which the Hes
ans have deposited their eggs. This


at the best an imperfect remedy, but


will help. Themost effective means
lat is in human hands is the rotation
crops, and, if this rotation could be
anaged in districts the prevention
ould be complete. But as neither
II civilization nor our chronological
nowledge is sufficiently advanced to
low us to entrust the authorities Of,
y, county with the power of order
g that there shall be no wheat grown


that county for year, this remedy i
innot be used in its most effective !
rm. Toa large extent we must there i
re rely upon those natural remedies :
hich, though slow in operation, never !
il Of success. Unfortunately IN tbe s