532 



admitting the advantage of getting the bean- 

 land wheat earlier sown. 



In reference to the working of the land, 

 we do not approve of a system much adopted 

 since steam power was introduced .to work 

 our land— viz., of sowing the grain after the 

 land had been grubbed. This system is most 

 unquestionably of advantage as regards speed, 

 but we prefer having, the land ploughed after 

 baing grubbed. One especial advantage 

 of givin^^ the land and seed furrow being the 

 complete killing down of thistles ; besides, it 

 assists in making the ground firmer, and, in 

 agricultural phraseology, it seems to make 

 the land more true. In allusion to the 

 (iuantity of seed to sow per acre, this must 

 bear reference to the condition of the land 

 and the time of sowing. Our motto or maxim 

 is, sow thin. All land should be in good con- 

 dition ; if not, give an extra supply of arti- 

 ficials, and a small quantity of seed is re- 

 (luired. We sometimes indulge in serious 

 reflection on the hundreds and hundreds of 

 ]iounds annually wasted by this absurd 

 and reckless waste. Farmers' minds are 

 carried away by seeing a rapid and 

 luxuriant braird after thick seeding of 

 the land. Let them watch its effect 

 in spring. How startling the change. Some 

 spot (where owing to the attacks of grub or 

 some other cause) which looked bare and 

 thin— 30 much so, it was nearly being 

 ploughed up — is seen gradually to recover. 

 The plants have room to tiller out, sending 

 up from ten to fifteen vigorous stalks of 

 wheat, while the thick portions of the field 

 shew both a smaller ear and a shorter straw. 

 A good illustration of this came under 

 our observation this year. Last autumn 

 32 1^ imperial acres were seeded v/ith 30 

 bushels of v/heat. In one part of the field, 

 in agricultural parlaiice called butts, where 

 the ridges became gradually shorter and 

 shorter as they fall out on the side ridges, 

 these were sown broadcast from the hand. 

 They were sown thicker, and up to the 

 middle of May they appeared much the 

 best ; but they were not so when the grain 

 was cut. The thin sown portion was de- 

 cidedly superior. AVheat may be sown any 



The Country Gcutlcnmiis j\Taga::.inc 



time from October till March. Spring - sown 

 wheat has of late been considered a risky crop, 

 and there are great temptations now-a-days to 

 sow barley. In reference to the comparative 

 advantages of drill-sowing versus broadcast, 

 we prefer broadcast for some stiffish soils, 

 clear of wild oats or annual weeds ; but 

 for all free lightish land the drill is the 

 best, imless a press wheel is used. The 

 latter is the system generally adopted by the 

 v>a-iter. The implement has three tolerably heavy 

 wheels ; it follows three ploughs, the furrow is 

 pressed dov/n, and, although the grain is 

 afterwards sown by a broadcast machine, the 

 rows of grain are most distinct, and can be 

 hoed in spring. We have also, for the last 

 three seasons, rolled nearly the whole of the 

 autumn-sown wheat, when a favourable oppor- 

 tunity could be obtained, making the surface 

 perfectly smooth and fine. The old idea 

 of rough lumps lying here and there 

 being of advantage for shelter is neither 

 more or less than antiquated fallacy. After 

 wheat is sown the land cannot be made too 

 firm. We hear some exclaim, " This may 

 be all very well for light land." It is 

 good for all land where a roller can be used 

 v/ithout what is called the poac/ii/ig the soil. 

 "We have tried repeated experiments, and the 

 rolled portions were always the best. It is 

 the character of our people to be careful and 

 cautious. Let any one v.-ho doubts, give 

 this system a fair trial, and we have no 

 fear but he v/ill repeat it. We admit the 

 young wheat plants obtain shelter during 

 winter from those lumps of clay we designate 

 as clods, but hov.' difficult it is for the young 

 shoots to run out and make fresh rootlets on 

 this uneven surface. It is true, the wheat is 

 rolled in spring v*-henever the season will 

 permit ; but these clods are pressed down, 

 and for a time retard this, and check their tiller- 

 ing power. The autumn-rolled wheat requires 

 only to be harrowed or hoed in spring. .These 

 observations are made from a thre-e years' 

 trial of this system. One word before we 

 close this portion of our subject on autumn 

 application of artificials. Nearly all autumn- 

 sown wheat Vkill be benefited by the applica- 

 tion of something to give a rapid braird, and 



