Report on Spring-soivn Wheats in 1873. 101 



(iown annuals, which our land is subject to, without a great amount of 

 hoeing. My system now is, dead fallow, barley, seeds (red clover), wheat, 

 beans, and wheat. As we find clover does not flourish on our clays, when taken 

 every course, the next course is fallow, barley or wheat, peas, wheat, 

 beans and tares, and Avheat. If the land is smashed up dry by steam or 

 otherwise by the latter end of May or beginning of June, so as to get the 

 largest amount of surface exposed to the atmosphere and kept as rough as 

 possible, so that it may be thoroughly aerated, I find it leaves it much more 

 friable and porous through the next winter ; and I have no difficulty in growing 

 barley, good as to quantity and fair as to quality. It is also far more 

 certain than sowing with wheat, as, through the lightness of the soil, the frost 

 lifts the plant, and frequently the greater portion loses root, or it grows too 

 ilorid with an excess of straw, and goes down before the grain is matured, 

 considerably lessening the yield, which is often very flinty and light in 

 q.uality. If intended for wheat, I find it best not to plough it again after 

 beginning of August. Being more solid, the wheat flourishes far better, but 

 I find barley answers better on the average. I apply on my fallow crop, 

 nvhether wheat or barley, about 4 cwt. of Proctor and Eyland's prepared 

 manure, or 2^ cwt. of Lawes' concentrated, with about 3 cwt. of salt mixed, 

 ■sown broadcast after the drill, and harrowed in with the seed ; and from both of 

 these I have had good results. Many in our neighbourhood apply about 12 

 loads of manure per acre : I never do, as I find it is much better to manure 

 for the pulse and green crops, which obviates one great difficulty, too much 

 redundancy of straw ; and I think in a dead fallow the atmosphere enriches 

 the soil to that extent that, having artificial manure, it is far better to apply 

 your manure for your seeds or pulse crops. I top-dress my clovers with 

 about 12 loads of manure after harvest ; and mow them generally twice. We 

 ifind by mowing twice we get a far better crop of wheat than by grazing them. 

 The leaf being left the roots exj^and more considerably and form food for the 

 succeeding wheat crop. 



Once ploughing for wheat is far better than twice, if after beans or peas. If 

 ploughed once, a drag run through it leaves it far more solid and adhesive. 

 Dragging leaves it in a nice clot, which the frost pulverises, and the soil is 

 tlius embedded down to the roots. I have grown my best crops of wheat 

 when the land has been left in that state ; but we can only practise it when, 

 through the weather, the soil has become well dried through. 



We always hand-hoe all our wheat if labourers can be obtained. Some 

 years ago I horse-hoed all my corn, but I feel certain I injured my wheat, as 

 it cut the fibres, and caused it to drop and become storm-broken, thus pro- 

 "ducing a lot of underling small ends, which not only decreased the yield, but 

 made it of poor quality. 



I apply 12 loads of manure per acre to both beans and peas, which 

 •encourages the growth of straw, adds considerably to the yield, and helps 

 to smother those annuals which, if not checked, are so detrimental to the 

 succeeding wheat crop ; and I think I may say no one can cultivate wheat to 

 perfection if he neglects the preceding crop. The crop of wheat being the 

 sheet-anchor of clay-land, I look on the others as preparatory. 



I generally grow 50 acres of wheat every year, more or less. I got in all 

 my wheat last year ; but, through the great excess of rain, only about half the 

 •wheat on our clays could be got in in the autumn : but the weather being so 

 fine in February and March, I think the greater part was got in at length. 

 The spring-sown wheat, however, yields very indifferently, and although the 

 autumn-sown was injured by the excessive wet and much eaten with the slugs, 

 it yields much the best, all the later spring-sown wheats being very much 

 mildewed. Some of my neighbours on the banks of the Trent, a district of 

 fine loam and very early, grow 6 quarters per acre of fine white wheat, put in 



