WHEAT. 



the organic matter is intimately mix- i 

 ed with tlioeartiiy infjrt'dicnts, wliere ' 

 it can have a firmer liuid by its roots, 

 and can at tiie same lime strike the | 

 fibres of tliem downward as well as 

 around, in search of food. 'When it 

 meets with such a soil, and is depos- 

 ited at a proper depth, it vegetates 

 slowly, pushing to the surface one 

 cylindrical lilamcnt, while numerous 

 fibres strike into the soil from the 

 seed. These supply the plant with 

 regular nourishment, and in due time 

 a knot is formed at the surface of 

 the soil, from which several roots and 

 stems branch out. This is called the 

 tillering of the wheat. The new roots 

 near the surface soon become the 

 chief source of nourishment, and in 

 a rich, compact soil, wlicre there is 

 room, numerous stems arise, forming 

 a tuft, and each of these in time bears 

 a large ear well filled with seeds ; so 

 that, from a very moderate quantity 

 of seed, a great return is produced. 

 The strong stems supporting each 

 other are well able to resist the ef- 

 fect of storms and rains, which would 

 lay weaker plants level with the 

 ground. The effect of abundant ma- 

 nuring immediately before the seed 

 is to produce too rapid a growth, 

 weakening the straw, and increasing 

 its quantity at the expense of the ear, 

 which does not attain its proper de- 

 velopment. This is called running 

 to straw. All strong manures, which 

 contain manyazotized particles, have 

 this effect, which is corroborated by 

 late experiments with saltpetre and 

 nitrate of soda. They produce more 

 straw and less corn, and hence are 

 not found of the same use, when aji- 

 plied to crops which are cultivated 

 for their seed, as they are on grasses. 

 " Decayed vegetable matter, or hu- 

 mus, seems essential in a good wheat 

 soil ; and it may, in the slow prog- 

 ress of its entire decomposition, 

 when it is continually absorbing the 

 oxygen of the air, have some chem- 

 ical effect on the nitrogen also, so as 

 to make it of use in the vegetation, 

 whether by first forming ammonia, or 

 in any other way. Farther experi- 

 ments may, perhaps, throw a light on 

 854 



this subject. It is well known, howev- 

 er, that, provided a soil be compact, its 

 ftntiiily is very nearly proportioned 

 to ttie quantity of humus which it 

 contains, especially if there be calca- 

 reous earth or carbonate of lime in 

 its composition. Lime has been oft- 

 en considered as the most efficacious 

 manure for wheat, even more than 

 dung. As long as tiiere is organic 

 matter in the soil lime acts benefi- 

 cially ; and the richer the land which 

 does not contain carbonate of lime 

 already, the more powerful the effect 

 of liming. But experience has pro- 

 ved that lime has little effect on poor 

 soils in wheat, until they are first ma- 

 nured with animal and vegetable sub- 

 stances. To produce good wheat, 

 then, the land should be gradually 

 brought to the proper degree of fer- 

 tility, by abundant manuring, for pre- 

 paratory crops, which will not suffer 

 from an over-dose of dung, and will 

 leave in the soil a sufficient quantity 

 of humus, intimately blended with it, 

 for a crop of wheat. Clover is a 

 plant which will bear a considerable 

 forcing, and so are beans, and both 

 are an excellent preparation for 

 wheat. The roots left in the ground 

 from a good crop of either decay 

 slowly, and thus furnish a regular 

 supply of food for the wheat sown in 

 the next season. Potatoes, also, 

 admit of much forcing, but the neces- 

 sary loosening of the soil for this crop 

 renders it less fit as a preparation for 

 wheat. Experience has fully proved 

 that, as a general rule, it is better to 

 sow barley and clover after potatoes, 

 and let the latter be succeeded by 

 wheat. 



" Improved chemical analysis has 

 discovered various substances in mi- 

 nute quantities in tiie grains and 

 straw of wheat ; and this has led to 

 the doctrine that these substances, 

 being essential to its formation, must 

 be excellent manures for it, if they 

 do not already exist in the soil ia 

 sufficient quantities. Most of these 

 substances are found in all soils 

 which contain a due proportion of 

 clay. Silica, in a very minutely-divi- 

 ded state, and probably in combina- 



