158 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



though the still' white-oak lands in the immediate viciniiy — within the same 

 inclosure — would produce a tine crop, yet, nevertheless, it was essential con- 

 stantly to recur to the former for seed, or depreciation would he the inevitahle 

 result. For productiveness, quality and quantity of Hour, it has never hcen sur- 

 passed, if equaled ; but it has disappeared from among us; it had to be aban- 

 doned ultimately, to the reirret cf many, on account of the great uncertainty cf 

 making a crop, its great liability to rust, and consequent deterioration of grain. 

 This wheat never succeeded well except in a saline atmosphere, on farms bor- 

 dering on salt water ; and I apprehend that the successful planter and i'armer at 

 "Doden " is mistaken in supposing that the beautit-ul white wheat wiiich he 

 grows, and always commandinsj the top of the market, to be the old Viri^inia While. 



The old rare-ripe, a beautiful white wheat, fine for Hour, the earliest variety 

 then known, and perhaps still so, has been abandoned years ago — not, however, 

 for the causes last assigned. It was too uncertain, the straw very short, and 

 most diliiculc to bind on account of its weakness : and hnally, its great liability 

 to smut, when the means of prevention or modification were neither well under- 

 stood nor practiced. 



The Pennsylvania white chaff bearded, grown here for some years, had a 

 beautiful white grain, but was never known, under any circumstances, to make 

 a maximum crop: it has passed away like a " summer's dream." 



The Wew-York improved White Flint, to which the name of" Harmon " has 

 given celebrity, possesses high qualifications, but has also entailed on it the de- 

 fect of being too late. 



The " Polish." — I procured for seed some of the first crop grown in this coun- 

 try ; and that, too, at an unusually high figure. It was cultivated successfully 

 by me for several years, but had to yield to another : this may be classed with 

 the preceding, having similar qualifications and defects. 



The " Rock." — A learned Judge of the Court of A^ipeals and a good farmer, 

 now no more, told me several years ago, that this was a humbug. I have never 

 seen a field of it growing ; it has, however, been cultivated with some success in 

 one section of our county, and much esiecmei.. by a few. Whether its great 

 failure this disastrous year will cause its abandonment, remains to be seen. Mo 

 variety could be less suited to such a season. 



The "Etrurian," introduced by the gallant old Com. Stewart, the White Kloss 

 blue stem, the " Hershey," are now being grown, and all have the merit of 

 being early smooth varieties. Perhaps the first named is the earliest. I speak 

 of this from report only, and that, too, limited. The grain is represented to be 

 beautifully white ; that it escaped the rust, but was excessively injured hy fiy. 

 I have seen printed statements claiming almost total exemption from fly for this 

 wheat — in short, lly-proof. I have it in contemplation to try soine of it for my 

 next crop. The blue stem White Kloss was ushered in the past season, as the 

 " UP. plus ^iltra.''^ I procured some for seed, and it was placed side by side with 

 the Hershey, and under equal circumstances : they ripened about the same time ; 

 but the Hessian and the rust contended for the empire over both, and seemed to 

 liold equal dominion : which suffered most 'twas difficult to determine. It may 

 be added, that scab and smut brought up the rear, to aid in the work of destruc- 

 tion. I have heard of fair crops on several farms being made of both these va- 

 rieties. 



An enterprising young farmer in my neighborhood sowed two bushels cf eacli of 

 four varieties, side by side, to test their merits — the " Etrurian," " White Kloss" 

 China, or Hardware, and a large red bearded, obtained from New- York. He 

 stated to me that the White Kloss beat them all considerably. The Etrurian 

 was literally demolished by fly. The China produced very inferior grain, and 

 less in quaniily. So far as this season is concerned, the testimonies are strong- 

 est in behalf of the Kloss wheat over other smooth varieties. Such, however, 

 has been the result of my inquiries. 



I introduced the Hershey here some five or six years ago, and grew it with 

 much success for several crops ; in fact, with more success than any other 

 •wheat ; but it is passing away. I have come to the conclusion, Mr. Editor, that 

 frequent change of seed is necessary, and that no variety can be successfully cul- 

 tivated on the same farm beyond a "few years. Almost all the above named have 

 been grown by me, and every change made has generally proved advantageous. 



(a:.o) 



