116 Report on Spring-sown Wheats in 1873. 



Perhaps we ought to give more attention than we do to the selection of 

 winter and spring-grown wheats for winter and spring-sowing respectively. 



Of the three varieties mentioned, Hunter's is, perhaps, the one that may not 

 be so well known in the south, and might have been worthy of representation 

 in your report; but, judging from recollection of what I used to have, I very 

 much doubt if we have the real old sort in cultivation now. It was a rare 

 sort for bad harvest weather, and a favourite with millers for its " strength," 

 but I gave it up years ago for its tendency to lodge on rich land, and now I 

 fear an impostor has assumed the name. 



I have been very unfortunate in my attempts to get seed-corn from the 

 Midland Counties of England — a farrago of all manner of seeds comes with it. 



James Thomson. 



21. Lambieletham, St. Andeew's. 

 (316 acres, all Arable.) 



Soil. — Soft top, with clay subsoil. Climate late ; 350 feet above the sea. 



The Rotatimi of Cropping generally adopted is the six-course. 



All my wheat is sown in autumn if possible, but two-thirds of it intended 

 for wheat were left unsown in 1872 ; and of this, about 22 acres were sown 

 with wheat in spring, 1873. 



Seventeen acres were sown with Fenton on 20th Febiiiary, and five with 

 Bearded wheat on 4th April. Fenton wheat I have sown for a number of 

 years ; it yields well. ShirrefiTs Bearded'wheat I have only sown this year ; it 

 was late in being sown, but looked well when growing ; none is threshed yet. 



Two hundredweight of Peruvian guano were sown per acre with all at the 

 time of sowing. 



The winter wheat was cut on 6th and 8th September, the spring on 26th 

 and 27th. I have only thrashed a small ouantity of winter sown ; it is 

 yielding well. 



John Morton. 



22. Edington Mains, Berwickshire. 

 (100 acres Arable, and 140 Pasture.) 



The Soil is generally strong loam, on the Lower Carboniferous formation, 

 with an average elevation of about 250 feet. Of the arable land, not more 

 than 500 acres are adapted for growing wheat. 



The ordinary Scotch five-course is followed, viz., two years seeds, oats, 

 turnips, and wheat or barley. 



An endeavour is always made to sow from 30 to 60 acres of wheat ; that is, 

 as much as can be overtaken before the end of the year. If the minimum 

 quantity just stated has been got in, more is sown in spring ; but barley is then 

 a much safer crop. On this farm spring-sown wheat is so liable to mildew and 

 other disasters, that it is only resorted to in exceptional circumstances. 



The difficulties of our wheat seed-time in 1872 were so great, that of a portion 

 of a field, extending to about 10 acres, which had been bare-fallowed, only about 

 4 acres were sown with wheat in October, when the excessive rain debarred 

 all further progress until February. Another piece of 10 acres, of freer soil, 

 had in like manner about 4 acres sown in autumn, after the removal of a 

 turnip-crop, and the remainder had to remain unsown till February. 



Seed had been provided for sowing 30 acres in autumn, of which only 18 

 were put in. 



