Report on Spring-sown JVhcats in 1873. 



109 



Ultimately 



Fig. 7. — Frocesler Bearded 

 Wheat. 



constant rain that only half was got in by the end of December 

 all was sown, but it was not finished until March, 1873. 



The kinds sown were the Frocester 

 Bearded (Fig. 7), planted with the 

 hoe in November, which produced 40 

 bushels an acre, of very good quality, 

 after |x;as. 



Riddle's Imperial, sown broadcast in 

 February, yielded 38 bushels an acre of 

 good quality, after beans. 



Talavera, planted with the hoe in 

 March, light crop and bad quality (12 

 bushels an acre), after a heavy crop of 

 white turnips. 



The usual treatment of the wheat 

 crops includes harrowing, rolling, and 

 hoeing in spring. No artificial manures 

 are used, farmyard-dung being liberally 

 applied to preceding crop. 



The harvest-time was the second week 

 in August, in unfavourable weather, but 

 the wheat was not much injured with 

 the exception of the Talavera, which was 

 badly sprouted. 



Frocester Bearded and Biddle's Im- 

 perial I have found good sorts for spring 

 sowing, being less liable to blight than 

 most winter varieties. I prefer planting 

 all wheat in the autumn, when possible ; 

 lor although the spring-sown last season 

 in many cases produced a better crop 

 than the autumn, it was in consequence 

 of the unfavourable state of the land at 

 the time of sowing the latter. 



H. Scott Hayward. 



12. Biddings Hill, Farnsfield, Notts. 

 (77 acres Arable and 45 acres Permanent Grass.) 



Soil. — Fine loam, friable, and of great depth ; red in colour ; a most pro- 

 ductive soil ; all well drained where required. 



I have no particular rotation of cropping ; but I crop the land hard. 



About 20 acres of wheat sown in autumn is the annual average. I never 

 sowed any in spring before this year. 



I think I might have sown some of the land in the autumn of 1872 with 

 wheat, if I had begun earlier ; but it was a late and wet harvest; and directlj'- 

 after harvest, having had about a week's fine weather, I took the opportunity 

 to autumn cultivate the land intended for cropping in 1873, and I succeeded 

 in doing that tolerably well, and also had all manure out of yards and spread 

 it on the land intended for tares in 1873. But after that work was completed, 

 we had constant rain almost every twenty-four hours — either in day-time or at 

 night. The land was completely saturated with wet, and from that time I 

 never had the opportunity of sowing a grain of wheat. 



