116 [Assembly 



R. T. UNDERHILL, OF CROTON POINT, ON SOWING 



WHEAT. 



September, 1845. 

 The wheat crop is so valuable, so intimately connected with the 

 prosperity of not only the agricultural, the nnanufacturing, mechanical, 

 and commercial interests of the whole country, that we cannot be loo 

 well informed on the subject. 



Land that has been well manured in a previous crop, such as corn 

 or potatoes, is, with proper plowing and harrowing, very suitable for 

 winter wheat. It is always best that the manure should be applied 

 to the previous crop, particularly if the manure is rank or recently 

 formed, or your wheat will produce too much straw, and be weak and 

 fall down. There are some exceptions to this rule. Bone dust, oily 

 fish, street manure, &c., have often been applied, at the time of sow- 

 ing, to procure a good crop. A sandy loam, with a good supply of 

 calcareous earth or lime, forms the best soil for wheat. A certain 

 amount of sand or silex, clay and lime, being essential to secure a 

 good crop. When I say that the land should be thoroughly plowed 

 three or four times, and harrowed as often, I am fully aware what is 

 the usual practice, and also of the loss sustained by only one plowing 

 and two harrowings. I do not speak of lands just cleared of the 

 forest, although then the more and better the plowing, the better is 

 the crop, or of the prairie sod just turned over, but of the lands of 

 the old States, long under cultivation. The object in this frequent 

 plowing, is to mix more completely the atmospheric air with the soil : 

 the air contains nitrogen, oxygen, and carbonic acid : these, well 

 mixed with the soil, will insure a great increase of crop ; and the 

 thorough pulverizing of the soil, renders it easy for the fine roots to 

 get well rooted before winter sets in, and thus securing it from being 

 winter killed. And this also enables you to pasture sheep and young 

 cattle upon it, in the forepart of November, without any fear of their 

 pulling it up. They will also secure it from the Hessian fly, by eat- 

 ing up the larvas of that insect. 



It is also very important to prepare the seed properly. The most 

 'plump and clean seed must be obtained. Six shillings or a dollar 

 more per bushel for the best seed, is of no consideration. Take a 

 barrel or a half-hogshead, fill it with brine that will bear an eg^ — use 



