100 ON GRAIN CROPS. 



els from one acre, and from one and a half bushels sowing. 

 My soil is a dark brown loam — clay subsoil. I have also tried 

 an experiment of two varieties of Chili wheat, (see samples,) 

 which promise well, from the fact that the heads are well fill- 

 ed, and berry of extra size. It is a bearded grain, produces 

 less straw than the white flint or banner wheat. Having a 

 few quarts now growing, I hope to be able to test its value 

 another year, and report. Dr. C. T. Jackson pronounces it a 

 valuable grain, from the fact that its glutinous or oily substance 

 far exceeds the white flint, that being principally composed of 

 starch. 



I also sowed two quarts of "Banner wheat," (Kloss blue 

 stem,) the product was thirty-three quarts. This variety ap- 

 pears to be the same as the White flint — I think it a superior 

 variety. It is quite common to find scatterings of rye mixed 

 with the wheat ; as rye runs up and heads out earlier than 

 wheat, I take the precaution to go through the field and cut 

 off the heads. Winter wheat also makes chess grass, which is 

 an annual, and dies out with the grain ; the seed resembles 

 dog grass, (or twitch grass.) One of our best farmers was de- 

 terred from sowing v.iieat this autumn, after purchasing his 

 seed, by seeing chess seed, which he took to be dog grass. 



My practice has been to plough in green sward if possible, 

 after a hay crop has been taken ofl". The stubble and grass 

 roots are of as much value to turn in, as an ordinary dressing- 

 of manure. I spread manure and twenty or thirty bushels- 

 leached ashes to the acre, and cultivate them in with the grain ; 

 leached ashes cost six and a quarter cents the bushel. I have 

 used air slacked lime — ten or twelve casks to the acre. I have 

 also raised thirty bushels of wheat to the acre without ashes or 

 lime. Gypsum would doubtless be good, where it is appro- 

 priate to the soil, but as good barn cellar manures contain all 

 the necessary elements, properly composted, for producing any 

 CROP, I doubt much the necessity of other substances to effect 

 that object. 



A good corn soil will give good wheat ; the higher the dress- 

 ing the better the crop. I roll after cultivating in, and also 

 roll again in the spring ; this packs the roots and branches the 



