Buckwheat. 



269 



fast table of the city resident as well, and when served hot with maple 

 syrup is considered the peer of the finest productions of the French chef. 



11. The Cultivation of Buckwheat 



A moist, cool climate is most favorable for buckwheat, although the 

 seeds will germinate in a very dry soil, and considerable heat in the early 

 stages of growth is an advantage. High temperatures in the period of 

 seed formation, especially hot sunshine following showers, is usually dis- 

 astrous to crop yield, causing blasting of the flowers. The same effect is 

 attributed to strong east winds. The yield is much reduced by drought 

 during this period. Buckwheat will mature in a shorter period than any 

 other grain crop, eight or ten weeks being sufficient under favorable con- 



FiG. 97. — Results of late plotving and hasty fitting on land contiguous and similar 



to Fig. 96. 



ditions. It is thus well adapted to high altitudes and short seasons, but 

 its period of growth must be free from frosts as the plants are very sen- 

 sitive to cold. 



SoU.-r-^ Buckwheat will grow on a wide range of soils, but those of a 

 rather light, well-drained character are best suited. It will give fair 

 yields on soils too poor or too badly tilled to produce most other crops and 

 seems to be less affected by soil than by season. It is not desirable, how- 

 ever, to attempt to grow buckwheat on very rich land, as under such 

 conditions the crop frequently lodges badly with results even more 

 serious than occur when other grain crops go down, as the plant has no 

 method of rising again. This ability to produce fair crops on poor soils 



