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10 cents per bushel ; and I have produced 414 bushels of May wheat (fall) per acre, at a cost 
in the bin of 34 cents per bushel, sold at $1 25 per bushel. I have also produced of spring 
wheat 374 bushels at 40 cents per bushel, sold at $1 per bushel; of white rye, 35 bushels at 
30 cents, sold at 75 cents; oats, 774 bushels at 9 cents, sold at 25 to 30 cents; beef, at a cost 
of 2% cents per pound sold at six cents gross; pork, at four cents, sold at eight cents; wool 
at 20 cents, sold at 50 cents per pound; hay, at $2 50 per ton, sold at $5 to $10. I have 
raised horses at $50, when 334 years old sold at $150. Such is not the rule. however, for the 
reason that farming is generally done very loosely and unskilfully, and consequently with 
much less profit than if well and thoroughly done. 
Our Jefferson reporter says : 
Corn is made a specialty in this county. One man with a good pair of horses and proper 
implements can cultivate in a moderately good season 40 acres, occupying his time from the 
Ist of March until the Ist of December, which, at an average of 40 bushels per acre, would 
yield 1,600 bushels, which, at 60 cents per bushel, would yield $960. Rent of land, $100; 
wages of man, at $20 per month, $180; board of man, at $1 50 per week, $54; board of 
team, at $7 per month, $63—total $397; leaving a balance in favor of the crop of $563. 
5. But a small proportion of winter wheat grown, the spring varieties gener- 
ally succeeding better upon the prairies, while the former is chiefly confined to 
the timber lands, and in most localities not cultivated toany considerable extent. 
Canada Club, Fife, Rio Grande, Tea, Golden Straw, Goose, Early Robinson. 
Hedge Row, Mammoth Spring, Black Sea, California, Arnautka, Siberian, Cir- 
cassian, White Genesee, White and Red Mediterranean, White May, and Red 
Chaff embrace the varieties generally sown in the State, the preference being given 
to the Club, Fife, Tea, and Rio Grande in most localities. In Jasper the Califor- 
nia and Siberian varieties are preferred, and in Marion the Wild Goose is highly 
esteemed, and in Winnebago the Golden Straw. Of winter wheat the White 
May and White and Red Mediterranean are the chief varieties sown. 
Drilling wheat appears to be in little favor in Lowa, and is not practiced at 
all in most counties, the crop being genétally sown broadcast from the middle of 
March to the middle of April, though a small proportion is put in earlier and 
some as late as the first of May. Winter wheat is sown the latter half of Sep- 
tember, and early in October in some localities. The crop is principally gath- 
ered during the last two weeks in July, extending into the first week of August, 
depending much upon the time of sowing. In reference to the mode of culti- 
vation a correspondent writes : 
Since reading your scathing, but too true, article in the October number of the monthly 
report, entitled ‘‘ Western wheat culture ruinous,” Iam loath to say anything about wheat ; 
but must plead guilty, guilty, GUILTY. 
Another correspondent on the western border, says: 
Wheat is nearly always sown on corn stubble without removing the stalks, the ground 
sometimes receiving a shallow ploughing; but more is cultivated with a double shovel or 
common cultivator; others sow the seed and harrow in. The largest crops of wheat ever 
raised in Monona county have been cultivated upon the latter plan, many of them yielding 
45 bushels to the acre. With allof these plans of seeding the ground is well rolled. 
Our Lucas reporter says: 
We plough for wheat four or five inches deep, sow broadcast, harrow twice, and then let 
alone till harvest. 
In Jefferson county, “The best mode of culture for spring wheat is to plough the 
previous fall, and shallow ploughing is preferable; for fall wheat the ground should 
be ploughed deep in June and reploughed before sowing, that the wheat may take 
deep rvot, thus securing it against the drying winds of winter and the frosts of 
March.” Ploughing is generally done in the fall, and sometimes reported in the 
spring. In 1866 the average yield of wheat per acre in Iowa was 16 bushels. 
6. Wild prairie grasses, blue joint, white clover, wild red top, marsh and 
slough grass, sedge, wild pea or vetch, and buffalo grass are the principal natu- 
ral grasses of Lowa, while timothy, red clover, red top, and other tame varieties 
are cultivated with success. Our Jefferson correspondent says ; 
After prairie grass the varieties most natural to our pastures are blue grass and white clo- 
ver; they seem indigenous to our soil and climate, and wherever the prairie grass is eaten 
out they appear without sowing. 
