THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 187 



just a beginner, and by no means master of the science 

 of agriculture, which is the greatest of all sciences. 

 And as every science is developed by small beginnings, 

 why may I not add my mite of knowledge to aid those 

 who may be inquiring after truth ? 



" The seasons, of course, will exert more or less influ- 

 ence on all kinds of crops. Still, in order to raise boun- 

 tiful crops of any kind, farmers have duties to perform ; 

 and if they expect to succeed and thrive, it behooves 

 them to ascertain what these duties are. I seldom fail 

 to raise a bountiful crop of wheat, and hardly ever real- 

 ize less than twenty bushels per acre ; and I have raised 

 as many as thirty-five bushels per acre. Last season I 

 raised, on two and a half acres, and from four and a half 

 bushels of seed, seventy-five and a half bushels of grain 

 by weight. My mode of procedure is as follows : I 

 usually raise a crop of wheat after potatoes. When I 

 first break up a piece of land, I almost invariably plant 

 Indian corn and manure in the hill with wood ashes, 

 etc. The next season the land is heavily manured with 

 barn-yard manure, and planted with potatoes. No 

 manure is applied in the hill, except gypsum. I have 

 raised but two poor crops in eleven years ; and some 

 seasons my ground has produced four hundred bushels 

 of potatoes per acre. Land thus managed, has been 

 planted two successive seasons. By the numerous opera- 

 tions of ploughing, hoeing, and digging the potatoes, the 

 manure is thoroughly rotted, and mingled with the soil, 

 instead of being left in large lumps to evaporate and 

 thus lose its strength. By this management my land has 

 been enriched and the fertility equalized, and" is thus in 

 an excellent condition to produce both straw and grain. 

 In conclusion, I would say to farmers, if you have ma- 



