GRAIN CROPS. 77 



ther whether it be dry and unfavorable for ploughing, or 

 dropping and suitable have much more to do with the get- 

 ting in of this crop than in Europe. But each district has 

 its favorite time for sowing say the first or second half of 

 April, or a little earlier or later, as the case may be. There 

 are also favorite varieties in each district, prominent 

 amongst which, for suitability to the climate, are the 

 Tuscans (for quickness and heavy crops in favorable 

 seasons) ; Talavera and purple straw (favorite with the 

 millers) ; Lammas (heavy plump grain, but disposed to 

 make too much straw) ; Fenton (velvet or woolly ear) ; 

 Bearded wheats from India and Egypt, are also in favor. 

 The Egyptian is specially hardy, and, perhaps, the safest 

 wheat for home use on new land. Much depends upon the 

 climate as to which variety is most suitable, and the safest 

 way to avoid mistakes is to sow the favorite of the neigh- 

 bourhood until a better is found. Regarding hardiness and 

 freedom from rust (see chapter on fungus enemies), the red 

 and bearded varieties are most in favor ; but the millers 

 prefer the plumper and whiter grains. All wheats give the 

 heaviest crops from rich, heavy land, and the rule found 

 best with corn to keep the vegetable matter as near the 

 surface as possible applies equally well with wheat. It is 

 becoming a customary practice to skim or merely surface 

 plough land that has been under this crop previously, or 

 under grass, at such time as will allow the surface coating 

 to rot before sowing the seed ; to harrow roughly twice or 

 thrice, and then sow broadcast at the rate of 1 to 2 bushels 

 per acre. Thin seeding is much in favor where the land is 

 rich and quick. The smoothing harrow covers this grain 

 especially well. Wheat does not demand a moist seed-bed ; 

 but it must be well packed in with the harrow or roller. 

 Drilling has been tried, and with marked success, and, as 

 the land is brought into better tilth, and skilled labor can 

 be easily obtained, drilling promises to take the lead of all 

 other methods of sowing. 



Steeping the Seed. To prevent fungi, it is u.sual to dress 

 or steep the seed in liquids made up of bluestone, salt and 

 water, lime and salt, manure-water, hot water to 155 

 degrees, F., &c. The object of all steeps is to destroy the 



