Report on Spring-sown Wheats in 1873. 95 



light lauds, and Xurseiy for heavy lands, is generally preferred. The wheat 

 crop is generally manured with about 10 loads of dung per acre, and horse- 

 hoed once or twice. 



On our kind, forward soils, we do not object to sow the ordinary wheats in 

 the spring that we sow in the autumn ; and they frequently do as well, and 

 sometimes better, than winter-sowu, and come very nearly as soon to harvest ; 

 but in unfavourable seasons they are much more likely to blight. Almost all 

 sorts of wheat sown in the spring come up thick and grassy, and keep very 

 close to the ground, and look very grassy for a long time before going off to 

 spindle for the ear ; but in the end of a favourable season the crop is gene- 

 rally satisfactory, both in quantity and quality. Red wheats sown in spring 

 we consider much more likely to blight than white wheats. 



We began cutting our autumn-sown wheats on the 24:th July, and our 

 spring-sown about the 24th August. Upon the whole, the crop was harvested 

 in good condition; but it was very various, and the average produce was 

 very poor ; indeed, 2 to 4 sacks per acre under average. 



Edw. Hilder. 



14. TiPTREE, KeLVEDON. 



(170 acres. Arable.) 



Soil. — Two-thirds plastic clay; one-third cold sand, gravel, &c. A dry, 

 cereal climate. 



The extent sown with wheat in ordinary years is about 70 acres ; always 

 autumn sown, if possible. 



The difficulties of the wheat seed-time in the autumn of 1872 caused about 

 17 acres to be sown in January and February. 



The kinds sown were Nursery wheat, yielding 3 quarters ; and Golden Drop, 

 yielding 4 quarters per acre. The former after mangold and kohl rabi drawn 

 off, the latter after turnips, following peas picked for London market ; and 

 turnips folded. 



There was no blight on the si)ring-sown wheats, while the aiitumn-sowu 

 were all more or less blighted. 



As a rule spring-sown wheat does not answer in Essex. 



J. J. Mechi. 



The above reports from clay soils give a graphic picture of the 

 disastrous wheat seed-time for the crop of 1873. Very shortly 

 epitomised, they furnish the following facts. — Mr. Randell, of 

 Evesham, found Hallett's Pedigree Victoria Wheat to be a failure 

 when sown in spring. The so-called " Lincoln Red " and 

 " Golden Drop " varieties, neither of them spring wheats, 

 answered much better, sown late in February. — Mr. Whitehead, 

 of Ewell Farm, near Maidstone, found " Nursery " wheat to be a 

 failure when sown in spring. — Mr. Bignall, of Loughton Farm, 

 near Fenny Stratford, Bucks, found " Rivett's " wheat to answer 

 fairly well, though sown in miserable condition so late as Feb, 

 22. " Golden Drop" was also found not altogether a failure, 

 though sown very late. — Mr. Bottle's very interesting report from 

 Pertenhall, Kimbolton, gives an experience of very late sowings 

 of various sorts. " Browick Red " answered fairly well, though 



