266 THE WHEAT CTJLTURTST. 



were smaller. If sowed later than this period, the 

 plants will not grow enough before winter to insure a 

 good crop of grain. 



4. 



SOWING SEED WHEAT IN WINTER. 



I once tried an experiment by sowing winter wheat 

 after the growing season had ended, and the ground 

 was about to freeze up. The soil was thoroughly pre- 

 pared, by several times ploughing, and the last plough- 

 ing was done about the middle of November. About 

 the fifth of December there were certain indications that 

 winter was about to commence in sober earnest. I 

 then sowed the wheat, and harrowed it in ; and the next 

 day the ground froze up tight, and remained till the 

 next March. The wheat did not germinate until the 

 growing season had commenced. 



The experiment was exceedingly unsatisfactory, as 

 not more than one-half the kernels seemed to vegetate. 

 I sowed seed at the rate of about two bushels per 

 acre ; but the young plants stood unusually thin on the 

 ground not one of them tillered at all ; the straw grew 

 very coarse, the heads were short, the grain shrunken 

 and small, and the stems and leaves were so badly 

 affected with red rust, that I never cared to repeat 

 a similar experiment. 



General R. Harmon writes in relation to the amount 

 of seed per acre and time of sowing, that there is 

 some difference in opinion as to the quantity required 

 to be sown to the acre : first, we must take into con- 

 sideration the soil, its quality (for on that much de- 

 pends), and the time of sowing -on clay loam soils, the 

 first week in September is the best time for this section 



