236 



THE GEJTESEE FAKMEK. 



same seed, and sown at the same time. The line 

 of demarkation between the salted and the nnsalted 

 portions is very distinct throughont the whole 

 length of the field. On the eleven acres without 

 salt the crop is an unnsually good one for this sea- 

 son ; there is perhaps straw enough for 30 bushels 

 per acre, but it is considerably affected by the midge, 

 and will not yield probably more than 20 bushels 

 per acre. On the fourteen acres where salt was 

 sown, the straw is heavier^ stiffer, and brighter, 

 and the heads larger. It is, too, some four or five 

 dMys earlier, and is nearly free from midge. It 

 ripened too soon for them. The insects attacked 

 it. and we found a few of the larva under the chaff 

 on the outside of the grain, but they have done 

 very little damage. "We agree with Mr. Joii>'stox 

 in estimating the yield at fuU 30 bushels per acre, — 

 probably it will be as great as it was on the same 

 land two years ago, or nearly thirty-four lushels 

 per acre. 



Mr. Johnston has used salt occasionally on his 

 wheat for twenty years, and always found it to 

 promote the growth and early maturity of the 

 crop; — he thinks the salted wheat is four or five 

 days earlier. He sows the salt at the time of seed- 

 ing. This year he intends to sow 400 lbs. per acre. 

 He thinks it would be better to sow it on the fol- 

 lows in the early part of summer; — the more inti- 

 mately it can be mixed with the soil, the better. 



This fact in regard to the beneficial effect of salt, 

 is an exceedingly interesting one, both in a practi- 

 cal and scientific point of view. Salt contains two 

 elements which enter into the composition of all 

 our cultivated plants ; but we think its action, in 

 this instance, at least, is not to be ascribed to its 

 supplying these elements ; they are seldom deficient 

 in soils. If we adopt Prof, Wat's hypothesis in 

 regard to the form in which wheat and other 

 ceralia take up the silica required to stiffen their 

 straw — viz., as a double silicate of alumina and 

 ammonia — we have at once an explanation of the 

 foot ; for this double silicate is much more soluble 

 in water containing salt than in pure rain w^ater. 

 In other words, a dressing of salt would be equiva- 

 lent to a dressing of ammonia, which is known to 

 have such a beneficial effect on wheat, not only 

 promoting its growth, but increasing its early ma- 

 turity. 



If tliis hypothesis is correct — and we state it 

 merely as an hypothesis — salt will do little if any 

 good on poor soil ; and even on rich land its effect 

 w^ill be merely temporary, unless the soil is fur- 

 nished witli amnLonia, in manure, or by plowing in 

 clover, etc. 



To grow wheat, the eoll must be naturally dry, 

 or thoroughly underdrained ; it must be rich, and 



carbonaceous matter, as is apt to be the case when 

 clover is plowed in for a nnmber of years-. Better 

 make it into hay and consume it by sheep or cattle, 

 and return the mannre to the land. By judiciously 

 enriching the land, and by sowing the earliest vari- 

 eties, we believe that wheat can still be raised in 

 spite of the midge. Mr. Johnston's experience 

 confirms this view. It is consistent alike with 

 sound theory and practical experience, 



A DAY IN WHEATLAND. 



By the kindness of John Dorr, Esq^ of Scotts- 

 vUIe, we recently spent a very pleasant day among 

 the farmers of "Wheatland and Caledonia, in tins- 

 county. They were very busy ; some cutting, 

 wheat, others barley, and many stiU in the midst 

 of haying. Comparatively little whea.t was sown 

 last fall, on account of the midge. Barley ha* 

 taken the place of wheat to a considerable extent. 

 A large breadth of land w^as so'wn, and the crop is 

 very good. Here is a spleadid crop,, belonging to 

 the Hon. John McVean. Th& land was in corn 

 last year, and the barley sown and gang-plowed in. 

 This was all the cultivation it received. Only one 

 bushel of seed was sown per acre. Here is a good 

 field of Mediterranean wheat, belonging to Mr, 

 Hentjt Harmon. The midge has not hurt it. 

 "What we want is, a variety of white wheat equally 

 early. Here comes a farmer who has usually sown 

 from forty to sixty acres of wheat every year. This 

 year he has but two acres. " And there,'* says he, 

 " I missed it." His two acres produced a splendid 

 crop. This is the way — sow only a few acres of the 

 best land, and manure and cultivate highly. Here 

 are the magnificent farms of Elisha and Gen. Har- 

 mon, once so celebrated for their wheat-growing 

 qualities. They appear to be principally laid down 

 with clover, and stocked with fine Merino sheep. 

 "What wheat there is looks well, and the crops of 

 barley, oats and corn are excellent. 



Donald McXaugiiton still continues to raise 

 wheat, with very fair success. He has this year 

 one hundred and ten acres, that he thinks wUl av- 

 erage twenty bushels per acre. " To have wheat 

 early," says he, "you must plow early, and make 

 the land warm by exposure to the sun." In other 

 words, a good summer fallow decomposes the or- 

 ganic and disintegrates the inorganic matter of the 

 soil, and renders the food of plants available. He 

 has used salt and lime, and also salt and ashes, with 

 good eftect. The wheat is earlier and better on 

 land so manured. 



Mr. Oliver Lee, of Mumford, has a factory for 

 the manufacture of woolen goods. On our allud- 

 ing to the high fertilizing value of the woolen 



waste, he said it was so full of weeds and foul 

 especially rich in aujmonla, vAthout an exam of\ seei]^ that it could not be used as a manure. This 



