CHAPTER V. 



GRAINS. 



illKAT CULTURE is the most important of all agricul- 

 tural operations, and has more influence upon tbe world 

 '^ than any otlier, 



' ^ Wlieat is brain food, and the progress of civilization 

 and intellectual culture can be traced by the extent of its 

 growth and consumption. Two hundred million bushels of 

 wheat are annually raised in this country, and we have the soil 

 and the machinery for an almost unlimited expansion of the 

 product. Such an important branch of our industry is worthy 

 of the most attentive and pains-taking consideration. 



The Corner Stone of Wheat Culture, as of all improved 

 farming, is drainage; it is here that the laigest amount of capital 

 is required, and it is here that it pays. And as drainage is the 

 oorner stone, fattening stock, rich manure, and clover fallows, 

 are the foundation stones. Each of these will be treated of in 

 this chapter. 



Soils for Wheat. The best are the clays; clay and lime, 

 clay and sand, clay and loam. There must be clay for a suc- 

 cession of good crops, there must be sand for bright stiff straw. 

 A sandy soil is too porous for wheat, although a single good 

 crop of spring wheat is sometimes produced even on tbe sands 

 of New Jersey, ^[uck is not adapted to wheat culture. Wheat 

 will succeed on a greater variety of soils than is commonly sup- 

 posed, if care is taken to enrich and fatten the land. 



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