422 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



in the Spring. The expense of such culture would, proba- 

 bly, however, be too great in this Country ; and therefore 

 need not be minutely described. 



Barberry-bushes or cherrytrees, planted in wheatfields, 

 will make the wheat growing near them blast. 



Spring-wheat should be sown as early as the ground can 

 be made mellow ; and there is little or no danger of its be- 

 ing too rich for this crop. It grows best on rich new lands, 

 or on lands which have been well manured and bore Indian 

 corn, or potatoes, the preceding year. The quality of this 

 wheat is inferior to that of Winter-wheat, and the crop is 

 usually smaller. It is, however, cultivated with more suc- 

 cess than Winter-wheat, in much of the higher lands where 

 the snow falls deep in the northerly parts of this State. The 

 requisite quantity of seed to the acre is from one and a half 

 to two bushels. Like barley, it degenerates ; and new sup- 

 plies of seed from Canada, or some more northerly climate, 

 are found requisite. 



A principal difficulty in raising Winter- wheat on the high 

 lands of the northerly parts of this State, where the snow 

 falls very deep, is, that it lies so long in the Spring that the 

 wheat being then, from the warmth of the ground, inclined 

 to vegetate, is prevented by reason of the snow which lies 

 upon it, and, being thus excluded from the air, it dies of 

 course. The most effectual remedy found, has been, to feed 

 off the wheat closely in the Fall, which, it would seem, 

 prevents it from starting in the Spring until the snow has 

 dissolved. 



Mr. Peters finds his wheat-crops greatly assisted, by 

 weting the seed, and rolling it in gypsum, before sowing. 

 This treatment makes the crop grow larger, ripen much 

 earlier, and preserves it from rust or mildew. He also de- 

 rives great benefit from harrowing his wheat in the Spring. 

 He thinks five pecks of seed to the acre not too much, when 

 sown broad-cast. He verifies the old remark, that lands 

 which have been long manured with barn-dung are not so 

 good for wheat ; that such lands are more liable to mildew ; 

 and that this prevails most in low grounds. He finds peas 

 much better than potatoes, to precede a crop of wheat. 



Mr. Ecroyd also insists on the great utility of harrowing 

 all Winter-crops of grain in the Spring, when the ground 

 has first become suitably dried. He also says that all Win- 

 ter-grain should be eaten off closely, and as suddenly as 

 possible, by Sheep, Calves, &c. before harrowing; as this 

 serves to help crops which appear diseased, as well as to 

 prevent their lodging. He also recommends passing the 

 roller over the crop, after harrowing. 



Mr. Peters also says that wheat should never be the first 

 crop raised, after the land has been manured with lime; but 



