80 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Mar. 



Preparing Sandy and Light Soils for Wheat. 



[From the Transactions of the N. Y. State Ag. Society.] 



As these are truly the days of improvement in 

 the various sciences, it is somewhat surprising 

 that agriculture should he so far in the back 

 ground. There are some encouraging appear- 

 ances, and inquiry begins to pervade the public 

 mind, to see if there cannot be some improve- 

 ment in this all important branch of public indus- 

 try also. I would therefore offer my mite to my 

 brother farmers, on preparing fallows for wheat. 



Some nine or ten years since, I adopted a 

 new method of preparing fallows for wheat, 

 which was one ploioing — and this I follow wheth- 

 er I plow in June, July, or August. I apply the 

 cultivator as often as necessary, to prevent any 

 vegetation from growing, and the land is thus 

 kept perfectly clean for the seed. Should the 

 land be quite hard it makes no difference, but is 

 all the better, if you can obtain sufficient loose 

 soil to cover the seed. 



When I first commenced this mode of farming 

 my neighbors laughed at the idea of obtaining a[ 

 crop in this way. In the course, however, of 1 

 two or three years, they became convinced, by | 

 observing that I raised the best wheat, according 

 to the quality of the soil, and I am happy to say, 

 that very many in this region, have adopted the 

 same plan, and I do not know of one who has 

 had occasion to regret it, for in every instance 

 that has come to my knowledge, it has succeeded 

 well. My land is what may be called coarse j 

 sand and gravel, sandy loam and some rather stiff 

 sand. Whether the same practice would answer 

 on a hard and clayey soil or not, I cannot tell. 



I sow my wheat generally between the 10th 

 and 25th of September. When the wheat is 

 sown the cultivator is passed over the land but 

 once, which covers the wheat better than two or 

 three times with the harrow. By the above 

 ^lan, about one-half the usual labor on fallows is 

 saved, and a more bountiful crop may be antici- 

 pated than from the former method of plowing 

 three times, and using the harrow two or three 

 times. It is a well known fact, that a stiff, hard 

 clay soil, provided the ground has been well 

 prepared, will grow more wheat to the acre than 

 can be grown on a sandy or loamy soil. Now 

 the question is, why is this so ? To me it is 

 obvious ; the wheat plant grows most luxuriant 

 on a hard soil, and that is the reason that one 

 plowing on these sandy soils, is preferable 

 to three, and that land thus prepared will pro- 

 duce more wheat to the acre. The one plow- 

 ing leaves the ground hard compared with three 

 plowings, which, in these soils, leave the land 

 loose, open, and spongy, unsuited to the plant. 

 This has been tested often in this neighborhood 

 within the last few years. 



The practice which I have adopted, is con- 

 firmed by a statement given by Henry Colman, 

 Esq., in his account of the culture of wheat in 



England. He says : " The soil preferred for 

 wheat is a strong soil, with a light proportion of 

 clay; but experience has of late years, contrary 

 to early and strong prejudices, determined that 

 even the light and loamy soils are capable of 

 bearing heavy crops of wheat, provided they can 

 be sufficiently consolidated. This is often done 

 by driving sheep over the land after sowing, and 

 by an implement called a presser. 



"This implement passes over the land in the 

 direction of the furrow, and it forms on the fur- 

 rows two deep drills at a time, the two rollers 

 being eight or nine inches apart, and the blade 

 of the roller, if it may so be called, or the rim 

 being thin at the edge, and growing wider above 

 the edge ; and forming as it revolves, two fur- 

 rows, hardened by its weight, into which the 

 grain drops as it is sown ; and when it comes up, 

 it appears as if it had been regularly sown in 

 drills of eight or nine inches apart, according to 

 the width of the revolving pressers from each 

 other. The steam- presser is in fact an abstract 

 of a drill roller, consisting of but two cylinders of 

 cast iron, which following the plow in the furrows, 

 press and roll down the newly turned-up earth. 



" I believe the soil for wheat cannot be too 

 deep ; though, as I have already stated, it may 

 be too loose at the top, and in such cases requires 

 shallow plowing and treading, or pressing on 

 very light soils, in' order that the roots may be 

 firmly fixed in the soil, and the dirt not liable to 

 be blown away from them." 



I use a two horse cultivator for putting in all 

 seeds such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, and best 

 of all for peas. This covers about six feet at a 

 time. I use a smaller one for corn, having giv- 

 en up entirely the use of the plow. I have given 

 above my views with regard to the proper man- 

 agement of sandy and light soils for wheat; and 

 if it shall prove advantageous to the farmers of 

 New York, I shall be satisfied. 



Yours respectfully, Elias Cost. 



Oaks Comers, Oiit. Co., K Y., 1847. 



Swamp Muck as a Fertilizer. 



We have received several inquiries in regard 

 to the value of Swamp Muck as a fertilizer. 

 Muck alone applied to uplands, and mixed with 

 the soil previous to sowing or planting, is worth 

 something, but not much, judging from the re- 

 sults in several cases which have fallen under 

 our observation. Mr. McVean, of Wheatland, 

 has tried it pretty thoroughly, and we desire 

 him to favor our readeis with his experience in 

 the matter. Made into compost with lime and 

 ashes, and this compound rotted with fermenting 

 manure, would render it far more available as 

 food for plants. Dry muck makes good bedding 

 for cattle, horses, pigs and sheep. By absorb- 

 ing their urine, which readily ferments, it can 

 be made to enlarge the dung heap in a cheap and 

 profitable manner. 



