224 



Agricultural Address. 



Vol. XI. 



vania in 1845, was estimated at 19,826,000 

 bushels, being greater than that of any other 

 grain. 



Though not used in this country as in 

 North Britain, for the food of man — and in 

 our climate degenerating in weight and 

 value ; yet as food for horses on a journey, 

 it is unsurpassed. It does not possess the 

 nutritive properties of corn, but it is exempt 

 from its heating and feverish tendencies. It 

 Bucceeds well on land rather cold and wet, 

 and perhaps the best oats produced in Penn- 

 sylvania, grow upon the table land of the 

 Alleghany mountains. It is indeed from 

 these more inclement and cool regions that 

 we are forced to procure a renewal of our 

 seed. There are several varieties of oats 

 cultivated, called by various local names, as 

 Barley oats, Black oats, and the Tartarian 

 or one-sided oats. This crop has the valu- 

 able property by its rapid advance, of over- 

 shadowing and discouraging the growth of 

 weeds; and consequently leaves the ground 

 in an admirably clean condition for the wheat 

 and grass crops which follow it. 



Wheat, the most important of the cereal 

 grasses, is, and always has been the great 

 object of the farmer. In all countries capa- 

 ble of producing it, the best lands are de- 

 voted to its cultivation. So long has it been 

 under the dominion of man, that it is sup- 

 posed all traces of wheat in its wild, or na- 

 tive state have been lost. Mr. Buckingham, 

 however, in his travels in Mesopotamia, near 

 Orfah, the » Ur of the Chaldees," found the 

 plains covered with a plant, which on com- 

 paring it with wheat, he considered to be 

 that grain in its native state. 



In very early periods, wheat was a luxury, 

 the use of which was confined to the wealthy 

 The ancient kings of Persia, who drew from 

 each province of their vast empire, the pro 

 duction for which it was most distinguished, 

 selected Syria as their granary for wheat; 

 and the most beautiful specimen I have ever 

 met with, was brought from the vicinity of 

 Jerusalem. Thirteen grains were sent to 

 me, and every effort was made to propagate 

 seed from them. Several germinated, throw- 

 ing up stems and developing heads of extra- 

 ordinary size. But it was'struck by mildew, 

 and after the second season ceased to repro- 

 duce. The result of this and other experi- 

 ments of the kind, are the less to be re- 

 gretted, as there is reason to believe that 

 any variety of wheat will soon adapt itself 

 to the soil and climate in which it may be 

 introduced. 



You must have observed what a change 

 has come over the Mediterranean wheat so 

 generally adopted by us a few years ago. 

 It has lost its exemption from the fly and 



mildew, and it is with difficulty a pure sam- 

 ple can any longer be obtained : it being ap- 

 parently absorbed into our old red chaff 

 bearded wheat; which was doubtless intro- 

 duced upon the first settlement of the coun- 

 try, and found to be well adapted to the soil. 

 Pennsylvania, though producing 12,580,000 

 bushels of wheat in 1845, was surpassed by 

 Ohio and New York; and as Michigan, 

 Wisconsin, and Iowa are entering into the 

 arena, it may be wise in us to look to some 

 other crops, in which we shall not be sub- 

 jected to such dangerous competition. 



Though we all know by sad experience, 

 that a season seldom passes during which 

 this crop is not assailed by some of its legion j 

 of enemies, yet perhaps our average produce 

 is nearly as much per acre as in England. 

 The weight of the straw is estimated at 

 about twice that of the grain; and early 

 cutting is found to be both safest for the 

 wheat and best for the straw. We never 

 sow of late years less than two bushels per 

 acre. 



Rye, which is sometimes substituted for 

 wheat in the system of rotation, appears to 

 be a particular favourite, as Pennsylvania 

 produced, in 184-5, 11,929,000 bushels, or 

 nearly four times the amount of any other 

 State. The quality of the grain is admira- 

 ble in our more northern and hilly regions, 

 but like oats, degenerates south of the forti- 

 eth degree of latitude. Rye straw may be 

 considered the most valuable for the produc- 

 tion of manure and the various purposes of 

 the farm. 



Buckwheat is extensively cultivated in 

 those parts of our State most distinguished 

 for oats and rye. A large annual exporta- 

 tion of buckwheat meal is made to the sea- 

 ports, both north and south of Philadelphia. 

 The crop of 1845 produced 3,322,000 bushels. 

 Barley has almost been banished from the 

 list of our staples, and the Philadelphia 

 brewers are forced to depend chiefly upon 

 New York for a supply. The crop of 1845 

 was estimated at only 141,000 bushels. 



In these statistics we are surprised to find 

 the very larsre amount of 1,600,000 lbs. of 

 sugar, 535,000 lbs. of tobacco, and 41,370 

 lbs. of silk cocoons, credited to Pennsylvania. 

 The potatoe crop has been failing gradu- 

 ally for several years; and in 1845 was esti- 

 mated at 5,497,000 bushels. 



The potatoe had exhibited a gradual dete- 

 rioration in constitutional stamina, long be- 

 fore it was overtaken by the fatal rot; which 

 is now producing such disastrous effects in 

 the old world. The importance of agricul- 

 ture in the eyes of statesmen, has never 

 been more strongly developed than now, 

 when kingdoms are convulsed, and empires 



