Other Points in Wheat Culture. 221 



there is in the wheat growing. I might figure on it a little on my 

 farm, perhaps, so as to give a fair idea of how it pays me in my 

 rotation with potatoes. 



Average cost of growing an acre of wheat after potatoes : 



Use of land, $6.00 



Harrowing with cutaway and Thomas. 1.90 



Rolling twice, 50 



Seed, 1. 12 



Drilling, 70 



Cutting, 2.40 



Drawing into barn, 4 1.62 



Threshing, " 3.00 



Use of barn for storing, 1.33 



Drawing to depot or mill, 70 



$19.27 



I have intentionally put these figures full high. I do not 

 want to make out that wheat growing pays me by underesti- 

 mating the work. I have allowed for going over the ground four 

 times with cutaway, or twice lapping half once lengthwise, and 

 then crosswise and for two harrowings with smoothing harrow. 

 After the tearing up, given by the digger, this will be sufficient. 

 The digger pulverizes the drill row a good deal, of course, and 

 the heavy flanges on wheels dig between the rows. Allowance 

 has been made for interest and wear on drill and binder, and for 

 cutting some lodged wheat with a scythe, as we nearly always 

 have to with a heavy crop. The amount charged for cutting, 

 drawing in and threshing will seem excessive to some, but a crop 

 of 30 to 40 bushels per acre is no plaything to handle. And I 

 have charged good, round prices. And I have put in the use of 

 the barn, so much as is necessary to store the grain. There is no 

 plowing, of course, as that was done in the spring, and charged to 

 the potato crop. Now, my dear readers, you can see at a glance 

 that, at the prices of the past few years, we couldn't come out 

 whole, growing 15 or 16 bushels per acre. No, there would have 

 been " depression in agriculture " here surely, if we had tried it, 

 and still this is above the average of our State, you know. Thou- 

 sands are growing crops that do not begin to pay, if the entire 

 cost of production is fairly figured. Few farmers in Ohio really 

 make any money on wheat now who -grow less than 16 or 18 

 bushels per acre. Of course, with cheaper land and smaller crop, 

 the cost is not as high as with us. But I have never had to figure 

 on a very small crop. I have never grown a single crop that did 

 not pay a good, round profit, after paying myself well for all 

 labor, etc. Our average for all the time we have been in the busi- 

 ness is above 30 bushels, take good and poor years right through. 

 Let us see how this shows up. I sold last year, as usual, for seed, 

 but wheat was bringing, when I drew mine away, $i a bushel, or 

 more, at the mill here. Thirty bushels, at tnis price, would pay 



