82 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The application of lime to the heads of the wheat has 

 been thoron^^hly tried, and the result proves that it 

 is only casting dust in one's own eyes. The only re- 

 medy I have seen sug-^ested, that has much promise 

 of success, is to plow the wheat Gchi after harvest. — 

 Thi>^, when the work is well done, I believe will be 

 effectual. At harvest time, before the grain is drawn 

 from the field, the greater part of the worms descend 

 to the ground where, according to a Scotch writer, 

 thsy burrov/ to the depth of about half an inch. — 

 From this time they are in a dormant state, until 

 changed into a fly, when they firise into the air, and 

 are ready to re-produce and perpetuate their race by 

 making a deposite in the heads of the wheat — which 

 in due time becomes a worm that destroys the grain. 

 If the land should be thoroughly plowed the larva 

 would get buried so deep that it could not receive 

 the amount of heat and air necessary to ils transfor- 

 mation, and consequently it would be destroyed. The 

 worms that might get carried with the grain to the 

 barn, would probably be destroyed in the manure If 

 more convenient for the farmer, and he did- not wish 

 to sow winter rye, the plowing might be omitted un- 

 til spring. The rule should be to plow the land deep- 

 ly any time before the jly leaves the ground. With 

 winter or spring rye or barley should be sown clover 

 seed, and plaster the succeeding year. This gives a 

 heavy growth ol clover, which, in the month of June, 

 should De plowed under for wheat. By this course 

 there is a crop every third year. If it should be con- 

 sidered an object to raise wheat every second year on 

 the same land, some broad-leaved annual plant should 

 be grown, to be plowed under ibr manure ; and for 

 this purpose, perhaps, there is nothing better than the 

 ruta baga or Swedish turnip. 



In adopting this system of rotation, it is supposed 

 that the soil isingood condition atthe commencement, 

 and capable of producing remunerating crops of wheat 

 by the green crop. If not, the farmer ought to know 

 it and apply such manure as experience has taught 

 him is the best. If compost or decomposed barn- 

 yard manure is used, six loads to the acre is ordinari- 

 ly sufQcient. This should be spread directly and 

 evenly from the wagon at seed-time, and then the 

 manure and seed can, \rith the gang-plow, be buried 

 together. 



Notwithstanding the danger from the Iles&ian fly, 

 wheat should be sown as early as from the last day of 

 August to the sixth or seventh of September. More 

 wheat has been lost bj late sowing than by the Hes- 

 sian 8y- When a green crop is jjlowed in for wheat, 

 it should not be turned back again to the surface by 

 deep plowing, but the land should be superficially 

 worked with the cultivator or gang-plow. More or 

 less wheat is yearly destroyed by snow — which drifts 

 by the fence running north and south on the west side 

 of the wheat-fields. If a wire fence can be niaiie eco- 

 Domically any where on a farm, it ought to be placed 

 on such lines. 



In order to carry out successfully the plan proposed, 

 for the destruction of the wheatfly, it would be neces- 

 sary that there should be a concert of effort amongst 

 the farmers. If the wheat-growers of Monroe county 

 would meet and pledge themselves not to leave any 

 land unplowed, on which they had raised wheat, the 

 result would be the exeniption of their fields from the 

 ravages of the tiy, and good crops of wheat as in form- 

 er years. JosEPu Allen. 

 Adams Basin, Monroe Co., JY. Y. 



CULTIVATION OF INDIAN CORN. 



I HAVE made three successful experiments in the 

 cultivation of Indian Corn. The first was on a peicQ 

 of about four acres, that had lain as an old slashing 

 and pasture, and never been plowed, and but recently 

 cleared off. The .soil was a dark, marly-clay, mixed 

 with sand and gravel. I commenced breaking it up 

 the first of July, and put the plow about six inches 

 deep. I then harrowed itlengthv.'ay's of the furrows, 

 and on the first of August, harrowed it again, across 

 the furrow, and cross plowed it eight inches deep, and 

 on the 10th of September, harrowed and cross plowed 

 it again ten inches deep, intending to sow it with 

 Vi'heat. On the day set for sowing, it commenced 

 raining, and continued so wet that 1 gave up the idea 

 of sowing it, and concluded to sow it with spring 

 Vv-heat. It lay all winter in seven paced lands with 

 deep dead furrows. Early the next spring, I cross 

 plowed it full ten inches deep, but was again prevent- 

 ed sowing it with wheat in consequence of the heavy 

 spring rains. I then concluded to try corn, and, on 

 the 2d day of June, I commenced to plow it for the 

 fifth and last time, ten inches deep, and harrowed it 

 fine, and furrowed it lightly, with a one-horse plow, 

 three feet apart, and planted in rows, two feet apart, 

 the other way, v/ithout furrowing across, putting four 

 grains in each hill, of a large eight-rowed 'yellow 

 variety. 



Ten days afterwards I harrowed it lengthways with 

 two horses, and a three cornered harrow, taking out 

 the forward teeth, so as to pass on each side of the 

 corn plants. One week after this, I went between 

 the rows with a one-horse plow turning the furrow to 

 the hill, and on the 4th of July, I passed through the 

 rows with a cultivator and leveled down the furrowB, 

 Then, with a hoe in hand, I went through it, and 

 carefully removed every weed that was to be seen, 

 and leaving the earth as even as possible. At tuis 

 time tLe stalks had began to joint at, or near the 

 root, — after which I consider it injurious to plow or 

 cultivate a'uong the corn, as the roots extend from 

 hill to Iftll. At the setting of the ears, I passed over 

 the field, and removed every weed by hand that could 

 be found. The produce was 118| bushels of shelled 

 corn per acre. 



The second experiment was on three and-a-half 

 acres of nearly the same character of soil as the first. 

 It had been plowed ten inches deep and sown with 

 wheat, producing a crop of 35 bushels per acre. I 

 then took off a good crop of clover and timothy hay, 

 and in the fall covered it evenly over with yard and 

 stable manure, which, together with a good growth 

 of after-grass, I turned under ten inches deep. This 

 was in the month of October. The following spring, 

 I harrowed and cultivated it till it was quite mellow, 

 and then cross plowed it about five inches deep, being 

 careful not to disturb the sod underneath ; and, after 

 smoothing the furrows down with a harrow, furrowed 

 it lightly four feet apart, north and south, and three 

 feet east and west, and planted it the 24th day of 

 May, one acre with the Red Cob Ohio Dent, and the 

 other two acres and-a-half with the Twelve Rowed 

 Dutton. When the plants were well out of the 

 ground, I sowed broadcast over the field a compost 

 prepared as follows : fifteen bushels of dry hen 

 manure; fifteen bufhels of good unleached ashes; 

 five bushels of plaster; and three bushels of fine dry 

 salt, mixed well together and made fine. 



