104 Report on Spring-sown Wheats in 1873. 



From the experience of last year, clay-land, as a rule, is not adapted for 

 spring sowing. I grew one field of April bearded wheat, sown the first week 

 in April ; but, although a beautiful crop to look at, when thrashed it yielded 

 3 quarters per acre, on dead fallow top-dressed with special wheat manure 

 from Proctor and Kylaud. I have grown many varieties of wheat, but those 

 specified I think equal to any I have had. Some of Mr. Hope's Fenton 

 wheat, from the Fenton Barns farm, Haddington, through its shortness of 

 straw did not answer with me ; but some of my friends, on good land, had 

 good yields of it. It is of excellent quality. Several in our neighbourhood 

 are growing Rivett's, but I think they will find it too coarse for the miller,, 

 and unsaleable if wheat is low iu price. 



W. S. Amwell. 



6. HONKINGTON GrANGE, NeWPORT, SaLOP. 



(468 acres, of which 160 are permanent Grass and 296 Arable.) 



Climate medium between the dry west coast and moist flat coast climates. 



Soil very variable. Most of the farm free dry loam, but there are some 

 pieces of very stiff clay, as also of light sand, and black moor soil — this last 

 being in permanent pasture. 



Tlie Rotation of Cropping generally adopted is the four-course — turnips, 

 barley or peas, wheat or oats, one year clover or mixed seeds, then wheat. 



The extent sown with wheat in ordinary years is about 55 acres sown in 

 autumn, and about 25 in spring. 



The difficulties of the wheat seed-time in the autumn of 1872 were very 

 great, owing to the wet autumn ; the clay-land was much trodden, and the 

 seed perished in places, necessitating resowing in spring. 



The extent of land intended for wheat left unsown in 1872 was 24 acres of 

 clover-root. The extent sown with wheat in spring, 1873, was 63 acres, 

 inclusive of what had been left over from autumn. 



The kinds sown were Hardcastle white wheat, sown on 32 acres in the autumn 

 of 1872, and also on 14 acres spring of 1873 ; and Essex Rough Chaff white 

 sown on 24 acres in spring. Pedigree Hunters white was sown on 6 acres 

 in spring, and Talavera was sown on 19 acres in spring. 



The Hardcastle and Essex Rough Chaff appear to be the most productive 

 of the four kinds named. The Hunter's was probably sown too late to give 

 it a fair trial, Talavera is very uncertain as to yield on this land, though the 

 quality is good. 



Ten acres sown with Hardcastle wheat in autumn had been dimged during 

 the previous winter, and had been intended for root-crop, but, owing to the 

 wet summer, a naked fallow had to be made. In the spring the plant was 

 over most of the field healthy and vigorous, but a " knuckle fallen " crop 

 resulted. The rest of the autumn-sown wheat was on clover-root, dunged ; 

 a good deal of clover remaining uneaten was ploughed in also. Snails were 

 very destructive to the young plant, which remained very weak through the 

 winter, and in stiff wet patches ixBrished. Owing to the wet, sunless character 

 of the season, there was a good deal of mildew on the autumn-sown wheats, 

 and unequal ripening causing much delay in harvest — one part of a field 

 being ready for cutting long before the rest ; and in these cases the spring- 

 sown wheat was cut first. A rough, unequal sample resulted. 



The bulkiest crop was obtained from 24 acres of clover-root (unmanured), 

 ploughed before Christmas, and left till Februaiy 14th, when part was sown 

 with Hardcastle, and part with Essex Rough Chaif. A good deal of uneaten 

 clover was ploughed in, and this having decomposed forced on the crop. 

 Want of sun and dry weather, however, prevented the ear from filling well. 



