THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



341 



— " llie (ulvantages or di^iulvaiitagcs of motrine; 

 wheat.^^'^ 'Vhe nieetiiif^ was but iliiiily attencicd : 

 ihe members preueiil, however, discussed the 

 subject willi much spirit ; and aiihou<fh a consi- 

 derable dillercnce of opinion prevailed, yei the 

 feeling was decidedly in liivor of the advantages 

 of mowing wheat. But the general views of the 

 members are eiiiliodied in the resolution. 



Jiesolui ion. — 'I'he subject — " On the advan- 

 tages or disadvantages ol mowing wheat," hav- 

 ing been fully taken into consideration, the opi- 

 nion of this meeting, as far as can be obtained 

 from a limited experience, is deculedly in lavor of 

 mowing, lor the lollovving reasons : viz. — greater 

 expedition and less expeuse.as rei^ards the work; 

 a great advantage in the extra f|iianiily of straw 

 obtained ; and the probability of being enabled 

 to cart the corn sooner. An objection having 

 been made, that mowing wheat may affect the 

 interests of the laboring classes, it is believed that 

 such is not the case at present. But further ex- 

 perience is still necessary before all the advan- 

 tages ot movvinij can be lidly obtained ; and cir- 

 cumstances ought always to he taken into account 

 in adopting either the plan of mowing or reaping. 



August being harvest month, no meeting took 

 place. 



Sixth monthly meeting, September I8th. — Sub- 

 ject — " The comparative value of the different 

 varieties of wheat. Tlie best preparation of the 

 land for the reception of the seed. The proper 

 quantity of seed per acre. With the comparative 

 merits of drilling or dibbling in the secfi." The 

 importance of this subject, and its being divided 

 into several branches, gave rise to a very animated 

 and lengthened discussion. The memlx-r who 

 introduced the subject considered, that the great 

 object of farmers should be to hnd out what [lar- 

 licuiar varieties of wheat are best adapted lu 

 particular soils, so that the greatest advantaije 

 might be obtained from seed and soil being sui- 

 table for each other;— -that his observations must 

 be confined to an experience of several years, on 

 mixed and light soils only; — that for those soils, 

 he considered Taiavera wheat a most valuable 

 kind; for not only does that wheal |)rove advan- 

 tageous to the larmer in its |)roduce, but is highly 

 approved of by millers and merchants, and com- 

 mands the first price in the market, beinir o( a 

 fine color and very heavy; it also stands the 

 winter better than any other kind. He had al^;o 

 tried the Eclipse wheat, the Tunstale, tiie long- 

 etraw white wheat, and the improved golden 

 drop. 



The Eclipse wheat did well for a year or two, 

 but it proved a tender wheat; and although ol 

 good color, yet was deficient in weight. 



The Tunstale is a good wheat on land in a high 

 state of cultivation, but not at all adapted lo poor 

 land. 



The long-straw white wheat appeared not to 

 yield well, but this kind was tried (or two years 

 only. 



The improved golden drop is a very fine 

 wheat ; gives a good length of straw, and is very 

 hardy ; and is also very heavy and thin-skinned, 

 and of course a favorite with most millers. 



* That is, substituting the grass-scythe for the sickle, 

 or reap-hook. Our cradle is not used in England. 

 —Ed. F. R. 



The introducer also noticed the other |)oinls of 

 the subject at consiiU-rable length. 



The o()inions on these and oilier varieties of 

 wheat were various; some members |)re/erring 

 ihe Tunstale to all oher kinds; on the contrary, 

 with others, the old fine red was a favorite wheat; 

 and there was a new variety, called the Kum- 

 burgh prolific red wheat, shown to the meeting, 

 which was stated lo coudiine in a high degree, 

 (jnaliiy, weight, produce, length of straw, and 

 great hardihood. 



As regards the preparation of i^he land, some 

 dillerence of ojiinion existed, and much praciical 

 inlbrraation was given to the club by the members 

 present, as to their particular views with regard 

 to fleet and deep ploughing, and the comparative 

 merits of drilling and dibbling. Tht3 sense of the 

 meeting was summed up in the resolution. 



Resolution. — Much valuable information hav- 

 ing been given to the meetins? on "The com- 

 parative value of the different kinds of wheat — 

 the best preparation of the land (or the reception 

 of the seed — the proper quantity of seed, and the 

 comparative merits of drilling and dibbling;" it 

 was considered, that as- regards the selection of 

 the seed, great care should be to adapt the diffe- 

 rent varieties lo suitable soils. The Taiavera and 

 improved golden drop appear valuable varieties 

 lor light and mixed soil lands ; and the Tunstale 

 and old fine red wheat and golden drop for heavy 

 mixed soil and heavy land. That as regards 

 manure, rape-cake, from a fourth to a third of a 

 ton per acre, will prove a valuable auxiliary to 

 farm-yard manure. VViih respect to ploutthing 

 lor wheat, nnedium or fleet piouiihing appears to 

 answer best. The quantity of seed per acre 

 depends so much on the condition of the land, 

 and time of depositing the seed, &c., that no 

 positive quantity can be iziven. And as to drill- 

 ing compared with dibtiling, the expense of each 

 mode is so nearly equal, that the one or the other 

 plan may be adopted or not, according to circum- 

 stances ; but that the advantages in time and 

 (juaniity of produce, appear to f)e in fiivor of 

 drilling. 



Seventh monthly meeting, October \Qih. — Svb- 



ject " 7'/<e best plan <f feeding farm horses, 



during the winter months.'''' Much diversity of 

 opinion prevailed on this subject: one member 

 considered bean-meal or pollard as the best (ood 

 during winter, with Swedish iurni|)sin the spring. 

 Bean-meal was objected to by others a.s a heatinir 

 Ibod, causing horses of a certain age to throw 

 out humours. Steeped barley (where price is 

 111)1 an ( bjection) with hay and cut stuff, was 

 highly spoken of; all cut stufi'was approved of by 

 i^nnie, on the ground of economy; and objected 

 to by others, as likely lo prove in the end injurious 

 to the horses, from being swallowed without 

 sufficient mastication. One gentleman of great 

 experience, whose horses are fairly worked, adopts 

 the following plan ; — a bushel of oats, with about 

 half a hundred weight of chart' or cut stuff, and 

 one hundred weight of hay or clover per week, 

 for each horse ; sometimes three pecks of bean- 

 meal are substituted fc^r Ihe oats. Another gives 

 four bushels of bean- meal with cut stuff, or chaff, 

 and a proper proportion of hay or clover, lo four 

 horses in the week, during- the working season. 

 Wfien the heavy work is over, he does not give- 

 so much corn, but substitutes heel and Swedes. 



