FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 421 



Where wheat has lodged so as to fall flat on the ground, 

 the better way is to harvest it immediately, it the grain be 

 only in the milk ; for in that situation it will derive no fur- 

 ther benefit trom the earth, or from the air; whereas, it it 

 be cut, and laid to dry, the seeds will derive nounshnu nt 

 from the stalk; and, though they be small, they will be as 

 large as they would otherwise have been, perhaps larger, 

 and at the same time will make much better flour. The 

 treatment in this case ought to be the same as in case of 

 mild w. 



See MILDEW. 



It is behevtd, there is nothing gained by leting wheat 

 stand till it is fully ripe; that is, till the heads turn down, 

 before it is harvested It it stand so long, considerable will 

 be shelled out betore it is got into the barn ; and even it the 

 bulk should in this case be greater, siill the weight may not 

 be increased; and as wheat is now sold by weight, not by 

 the bushel ; and as it is known that the best flour is made 

 from the earliest harvested wheat ; the Farmer, trom these 

 considerations, may probably be the gainer by commencing 

 his harvest considerably earlier than the usual time. I this 

 way, too, he will be less in danger ot having his wneat 

 grown by long continued rains ; for it is found, thai wneat 

 which is harvested early is less liable to grow, than that 

 which is cut late. That, however, which is designed tor 

 seed, ought to be harvested last, as it will vegetute more 

 readily when late harvested. 



As a matter of curiosity, it may be observed, that by fre- 

 quently sphting the plants of wheat, and seting each part by 

 itself, they may be greatly multiplied. Thus, by sowing the 

 wheat in August you may split it, after it has branched out 

 into a number of parts, and this may be again repeated in 

 September, and repeated once or twice again in the Spring, 

 until in this way you may make one seed produce more 

 than half a bushel of grain. 



Where wheat is likely to grow too large, the best way is 

 to feed it down in the Spring, for such length of time as 

 may be thought requisite ; and in this way it will grow up 

 with a stronger stalk, be less liable to lodge, and produce 

 a great crop. 



See RYE, for a very extraordinary crop that was raised 

 in this way. 



If the wheat cannot be conveniently fed off, let it be, 

 mowed off close, as often as may be found necessary, which 

 will answer nearly the same purpose. 



In England, experiments have been made of transplanting 

 wheat in the Spring, by means of which the crops proved 

 very good, and a great deal of seed was saved. This might 

 be found peculiarly useful in wet lands, thrown up in ridge* 



