1803. 0?i the Cult lire and Ufe of Buch-Wheat, 411 



gularly praftife it; and I doubt not hut tlut tliis will daily j^ain 

 grountl. Red clover certainly is the belt plant we know ot* 

 tor this puTpofe, (fainfoin and lucerne excepted, and thefe caa 

 only be raifed upon particular foils) : but as the fame land will 

 not grow red clover for a number of years without change, and 

 as all green crops fiiould be as near the homcftead as poflible, to 

 leilen the expence of leading ; furely, upon a foil fuitable for the 

 growth of buck-wheat, it is a very valuable acquifition, in mode- 

 rate quantities, as a variety of green food. 



It is further ufeful as a manure. Upon a clean fallow, I have 

 derived confiderable benefit from fowing it as a preparation for 

 wheal ; rolling it down as foon as it is in full flower, and imme- 

 diately ploughing it in. Its great fucculcncy prefently brings on 

 a degree of fermentation, that highly enriches and ameliorates 

 the land ; the only objedlion is, that it renders it rather too 

 light for a winter crop. I purpofe, this fummer, ploughing in 

 ten acres of buck-wheat upon a poor fand, which, after a plenti- 

 ful liming the next fpring, I (hall fow down with tares and grafs 

 feeds, as pafture for Pnecp : in this cafe, the lightncfs and ame- 

 lioration of the foil will be of infinite fervice \ feeds always 

 coming bed out of the ground when in that (late ; and the tread- 

 ing of the flieep will afterward render the land as firm as can be 

 required ; though a heavy roller ufed three or four times in the 

 fummer, would level any little inequalities of furface, and benefit 

 the grafs. 



Laftly, as a corn crop, buck-wheat will be often found both 

 ufeful and profitable, particularly in indifferent feafons, as land 

 may be {o'^n with it, that could not in proper time be fown 

 with oats or barley. The produce may be dated, upon the 

 average, between three and four quarters per acre ; it would be 

 confiderably more, did all the grains ripen together ; but that 

 never appears to be the cafe, as fome parts of the fame plant will 

 be in flower, whilfi: others have perfected their feed. It is harvefled 

 in the fame manner as barley, requiring only a little more time, as, 

 from its great fucculency, it is liable to heat ; on which account, 

 it is better to put it in fmall ftacks, of five or fix loads each, than 

 in either a large one or a barn. Buck- wheat is lefs liable to in- 

 jury from a wet harveft that any of the white crops -, and the ft raw 

 is by no means fo indilFerent a fodder as many have Reported. 



Thefe obfervations are made from my own growth of it ; and as 

 I trull I have not perm.itted any partiality for the grain to iiiiilead 

 my judgement, they may, I hope, be relied upon. I \"%ould by no 

 means be underdood as williing to recommend farmers to culti- 

 vate buck- wheat upon a large fcale, in preference to oats or bar- 

 ley j but certainly it has fufficient advantages, to give it a place 



O 2 among 



