420 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



expenditure of seed. Let the Farmer, however, try exper- 

 iments in this way, by sowing, two, three, or four bushtis to 

 the acre; and it well repaid, by a suitable increase of his 

 crops, let him persevere in sowing that quantity of seed 

 wbi< h he fi.ids most advantageous. 



Drilling in wheat will save, as much as one-third of the 

 see.1 It wheat is found to grow larger in this way, than 

 \vhf:n sifwn in ihe broad- cast, the ^ain may be much greater. 

 If it be ^oaked tweniy-iour hours in lie and brine, or old 

 urine, w ( th a proper mixture of syhpetre, its smutiness will 

 be prevented, winch in muny instances may be a great sav- 

 ing ; while the: orop will be greatly augmented. 

 See SOWING 



Thus, by paying attention to these particulars, and some 

 others, the clear profits ot a crop of wheat may perhaps be 

 doubkd. 



Seed wheat should always be run through a screen, be- 

 fore it is sown, to take out the seeds of cockle, drips, and 

 other weeds which infest the crop. Care should also be 

 taken, not to let the seed get any mixture of ryt; in it; as 

 the cuting of this out requires considerable labor, and at 

 the same time lessens the crop. The English Farmers say, 

 that seed should never be taken of wheat which has grown 

 on sandy land ; but from that which has grown on soils 

 most natural to it. The changing of seed should also be 

 attended to, as this grain is found to degenerate. The 

 Summer- wheat which is brought from Canada is found to 

 produce much larger crops in this county (Herkimer) than 

 that which has been sown here for some time. Wheat that 

 is carried to a climate much more northerly, than that in 

 which it has been long sown, will not answer well, as it 

 will be too late in ripening. 



The best preparations for a crop of wheat are Summer- 

 fallowing, or a clover-sward turned under, and the wheat 

 sown on it. The latter is good culture. The former ought 

 never to constitute a part of a good system of farming, on 

 account of its additional expense, unless it be to recruit ex- 

 hausted lands, or to destroy weeds. But, where lands re- 

 quire to be fallowed, let the work be done effectually, by 

 repeated ploughings and harrowings, in order that the 

 ground be enriched, and the seeds of weeds destroyed. 

 Beside clover, the Summer-crops, which are found best to 

 precede a crop of wheat, are turnips, peas, vetches, and 

 barley will do tolerably well ; but let tiie ground be plough- 

 ed up immediately after the crop is taken off. A potatue- 

 crop is also very good ; provided it be got off the ground 

 sufficiently early for sowing the wheat. Indian corn, where 

 the ground is in good heart, will do well, by cuting up the 

 cuop while green, and seting it up in shocks to ripen. 



