110 Report on Sprmg-soicn Wheats in 1873. 



About 20 acres were sown in spring. I sowed " Fenton wheat " of o;ood 

 quality, and the most productive wheat I know. I have had the seed direct 

 from Mr. George Hope, of Fenton-Barns, for the last sixteen j'ears, from time to 

 time, as I required a change of seed. The April wheat is of medium quality, 

 and not a good yielding variet3^ The "Fenton wheat" was sown 19th to 

 22nd of February. It went in tolerably well, and all came up well on 3rd of 

 April. Sowed " April wheat" 31st March and 23rd April. 



Part of the land intended to be sown with wheat m the autumn of 1872 was 

 a clover stubble ; I gave it a dressing of lime, 2 tons per acre, before it was 

 ploughed and pressed ready for wheat. A part was bean stubble, manured 

 in the autumn of 1871, with 15 loads per acre of manure for the beans, which 

 had been dibbled in the spring of 1872 ; and another part was iu swede 

 turnips, and for this crop 18 loads of manure and 5 cwts. of fine bone-dust 

 had been applied ; the thistles and annual weeds were hoed out. 



The spring-sown wheat, particularly the Fenton wheat, grew well, and 

 flowered out at a propitious time ; the ears filled well. We commenced cutting 

 it on 27th August, and the April wheat at the same time. 



I have not threshed out any grain yet, but I estimate the yield of the Fenton 

 wheat at about 4 quarters per acre ; but the April wheat will be a bad 

 yielding crop. 



I consider that the spring-sown wheat did very well. 



Charles Doncastek. 



13. Amcott's Grange, Doncaster. 

 (190 acres Arable.) 



My experience of spring Avheats sown last year was not very favourable, and 

 our soil does not suit them generally ; in fact, it is only in extra.ordinary 

 seasons that we ever sow any. 



My farm is about 190 acres of arable land, without permanent pasturage ; 

 it is all warp by the side of the Eiver Trent. 



Our Rotation of Cropping is wheat every third year, generally after potatoes, 

 and sown in November if possible. In 1872 I only got about 30 acres sown, 

 instead of 60, which is about my usual quantity. In the spring of 1873 I had 

 about 20 aci'cs sown in the spring, 14 acres of which were sown with a wheat 

 known here as Square-head, and 6 with Buff Talavera (our April wheat). 

 The Square-head was sown in February and the Talavera in the first week in 

 March. The Talavera we harvested the last week in August, and the Square- 

 head about a week later. As to their yield I cannot speak with certainty, as I 

 have not threshed either of them ; but I have no doubt the Square-head will 

 yield at least one-third more than the Talavera, judging from the weight in 

 the sheaf. 



The Square-head I should highly recommend for early spring sowing on 

 rich, soils, but not on inferior, as it is a wheat that grows but little straw 

 on good land, but very stiff, rarely getting down, and it generally pleases in 

 threshing. 



On this soil spring corn generally grows weak in the straw and coarse in the 

 grain, so that we avoid it as much as we can, 



F. Knaptos. 



