Ch. X.] ON WHEAT. 153 



a species, now well known as Talavera wheat, was brouglit from Spain 

 during the late war by an officer serving with our army in the Peninsula, 

 and is largely grown, particularly on the light soil of Norfolk and some of 

 our southern countries. It succeeds when sown either in the autumn or in 

 spring; but having been found rather too delicate for our winters, it has 

 been more generally propagated with a view to spring-sowing. It has very 

 long straw, long ears, with a fine, clear, thin-skinned grain, and being very 

 prolific, it has become a very general favourite, although it has somewhat 

 degenerated in the cold of our climate : a defect, however, which can be 

 easily remedied by an importation of the seed from its parent country. It 

 can be grown — like all the spring species — on all wheat lands; but does 

 not require so strong soil as the winter kind: the land should, however, 

 be equally rich, though not too dry, and the soil should be brought into 

 as perfectly clean a state of tillage ; the best way too of preparing it being 

 by a crop of turnips eaten upon the ground. 



The season for sowing every kind of spring-wheat h from the latter end 

 of March until the beginning of May ; but the middle of April is preferable, 

 as both avoiding the chance of white-frosts, and ensuring a greater prospect 

 of gentle showers for the promotion of vegetation. The quantity of seed 

 must be larger than that commonly employed in autumn; and, if sown 

 broad-cast, is usually from three to three and a-half bushels per acre, when 

 put in alone; but if clover be also sown, then two bushels and a-half, or 

 nine pecks are considered sufficient; the crop, however, being in that case 

 smaller. This, however, must not be assumed as an argument in favour of 

 sowing a large quantity of seed ; for the diminution of the wheat is occa- 

 sioned by the simultaneous growth of the clover. 



In warm summers, spring-wheat comes to perfection about a fortnight 

 earlier tiian the common wi.Mer species; but it is rather inferior in produc- 

 tiveness, although the difficulty of getting winter crops off the ground fre- 

 quently compels the farmer to substitute spring for autumn wheat, rather than 

 clear his land prematurely, and thus disarrange his winter economy : indeed 

 if the land be in a wet state, it will be found more prudent to sow this spe- 

 cies in the spring, when mellowed by the frost, than Lammas wheat in the 

 month of December. Its tenderness has however thrown it a good deal out 

 of use; for, if the season be not of equal temperature, it is apt to fail: either 

 much cold, wet, or heat, being prejudicial to its growth. It might be supposed 

 from this, that the genial climate of Ireland would suit it better than that of 

 England ; but the summers are there said not to be sufficiently ardent to 

 mature the crop before the commencement of the autumnal frosts; though 

 perhaps a better reason for its not being cultivated in that country arises 

 from the general inattention of the Irish farmers to the growth of green 

 crops. 



Mr. Burroughs, however, tells us that in order to give a fair trial to 

 its growth in Ireland, the Dublin Society, some years ago, offered pre- 

 miums to persons who would grow it, and report on the result. Forty- 

 three persons tried it in different proportions — himself among the number — 

 and the reports given by the different individuals were six to one against the 

 probability of being ever able to establish its cultivation, with a certainty of 

 insuring an adequate remuneration to the farmer*. 



PRODUCE AND QUALITIES. 



The farm produce of wheat varies so much upon ditferent kinds of land, 

 and is so much governed by climate and mode of cultivation, that it is 

 * On the Cultivation of White Crops, p. 24. 



