CULTURE OF BUCKWHEAT 40$ 



of straw will be greater, but when lodging occurs, the conse- 

 quences are more serious than with the true cereals, since the 

 plant has no method of rising again. (378) Buckwheat responds 

 to applications of cheap low-grade fertilizers more regularly than 

 most crops. In Pennsylvania farmers who do not use fertilizers 

 on any other crop buy it for buckwheat. The fact that these 

 low-grade manures are usually low in nitrogen and potash, but 

 fair in phosphoric acid, indicates that it is especially benefited 

 by the last. 



579. Rotation. — Rotation is seldom practiced because of the 

 place buckwheat holds in the farm management, being fre- 

 quently resorted to as a substitute for meadow or maize that 

 has failed. Other things equal, it is placed upon the poorest 

 soil or upon that in the lowest state of productivity for cropping. 

 The crop it follows is perhaps less important than the crop which 

 follows it. It is often held that the succeeding crop of maize or 

 oats is reduced because of its gro\vth. Buckwheat leaves the 

 soil in a remarkably mellow or ashy condition, which in the 

 case of light soils is objectionable, but in the case of heavy soils 

 is desirable, especially as preparation for potatoes particularly, 

 on account of the smoothness of the tubers when the latter follow 

 buckwheat. The following rotation is sometimes practiced: 

 potatoes, one year ; oats or wheat, one year, and medium red 

 clover, one year. The first crop only of clover is harvested, 

 when the land is immediately plowed and sown to buckwheat. 



580. Green Manuring. — Buckwheat is sometimes used for 

 green manuring. The ash constituents and the nitrogen are 

 rather high for a nonleguminous plant It will germinate in 

 rather dry soil, grows rapidly and rots easily. Where these 

 factors are important considerations the use of buckwheat for 

 green manuring is indicated. It is possible by the use of buck- 

 wheat to incorporate organic matter into a soil that is almost 

 too poor to grow any other crop. 



