On I he Cultivation of Wheat 



S3: 



on soft lands to stiffen the strav,-, and wc 

 highly value a mixture containing ammonia, 

 phosphates, potash, and salt. Our first ex- 

 periments with salt were made in 1855, with 

 the following results :^viz., a top-dressing of 

 2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia per Scots acre 

 gave \2y-1_ bolls good wheat, equal to 4 bushels 

 to the boll; ^ light; 229 stones, of 22 lb. 

 each, straw; 61 stones broken straw^and chaff. 

 The same top-dressing, with i cwt. salt, gave 



1 zy^ bolls 3 stone 8 lb. good Avheat ; ^ bolls 



2 stone 10 lb. light ; 264 stone, 16 lb. straw; 

 39 stone 10 lb. chaft'and broken straw. Here 

 there is not a great difference in the quantity 

 of grain, but the w^eight of straw is consider- 

 ably greater, and the quality of the straw was 

 so distinct we remember being able to dis- 

 tinguish it in the dark. 



We approach this part of our subject 

 under a full sense of tlie difficulty of giving 

 a correct opinion. The variations of soil 

 and climate completeiy negative any single 

 experience when merely confined to one 

 locality. ^Ve shall endeavour simply to give 

 the results of a trial of one of the most 

 approved varieties generally grown in East 

 Lothian in competition with two new white 

 wheats and two of the best red varieties. 

 Suppose a farmer is asked the question — 

 AMiat is the best variety of wheat ? — he can 

 give but one answer — viz., the variety that he 

 individually finds to produce most money per 

 acre on his farm during an average of years. 

 In order to ascertain this he must make ex- 

 periments with different kinds. He must 

 ca.refully watch the character of the season, 

 and also study the nature of his soil, and pay 

 the most marked attention to the general 

 cftect of the weather on the different varieties 

 of wheat he has under cultivation. Taking the 

 ^ ariations of seasons into account, Ave do not 

 consider that anything like a fair or correct 

 opinion can be formed unless the same experi- 

 ments are repeated at least five times. It is 

 true, there may be exceptional seasons like the 

 summer of '68, which we may say stands 

 without a parallel in the history of our agri- 

 cultural experience, in having tested to the 

 full the prolific power of all the varieties of 

 Avheat we had under experiment. All alike 



shared the fine weather of November and 

 December in brairding. The cold of early 

 spring fell equally on all, and the genial April 

 showers, and the tropical sunshine of cur 

 summer allowed the blooming qualities of each 

 variety of wheat an equal and full advantage. 

 It is well known that all wheats are most fruitful 

 in dry seasons, and our bad wheat harvests arc 

 after wet summers. It is therefore evident 

 the variety of wheat which will mature best 

 •under adverse weather, and proves the most 

 profitable variety for an average of seasons 

 is the one to cultivate. Wheat ?uffers much 

 from being early laid before the ear gets free 

 from the shot blade. It never blooms pro- 

 perly, and consequently cannot fill. Stiff 

 strawed varieties are therefore to be preferred. 

 Owing to this peculiarity of the straw, we 

 have, on the same farm, known a difference 

 of 8 sacks per acre — Fenton wheat yielding 

 12 sacks, and Hunter's wheat only 4 sacks, 

 on land in the same condition, although 

 the Hunter's wheat looked by far the 

 most bulky. Here the variation of soil 

 would apply, because we are well aware many 

 of our best farmers sow nothing but Hunter's 

 wheat, because they find it the most pro- 

 fitable. We have Hopetoun wheat, and a 

 variety known as Lady Hall or Mungos- 

 wells, and Fenton, all shoots from the same 

 tree as Hunter's ; still, every one of them is 

 marked by a distinct variation in character, 

 all of them being much stiffer in the straw 

 than Hunter's, and, consequently, on most 

 farms more prolific. Of red wheats the num- 

 ber is legion ; they are all prolific, and, in 

 our opinion, too little sown in East Lothian. 

 "We fear there is too much of this feeling 

 amongst our farmers — viz., I got the top of the 

 market to-day for a fine sample of Chiddam, 

 Talavera, or Pearl ; and we all admit a very 

 happy feeling this is, reminding one of " Dr 

 Marigold," after his lucky tour and sale of his 

 wares — and like him, makes one inclined to 

 undo the two under buttons of his "veskit" 

 to give room to a little extra " inflation ;" but 

 we should always bear in mind it is not a high 

 price per quarter, but the most money per 

 acre that pays us best. We have invariably 

 found that all very fine varieties that top our 



