WHEAT. 



tion with soda or potass, seems one 

 of tlie most important to give due 

 strength to the straw ; and liencc, in 

 some soils, potashes or wood-ashes 

 which contain it may be advanta- 

 geously used as maniues to the wheat, 

 i'he analysis of the ashes of grains 

 of wheat chosen out of the ears, by 

 Theodore de Saussure, gives the fol- 

 lowing results : 



Potass 15 



Pliosphate of potass 32 



Muriute of potass O'lG 



Sulphate of potass a trace. 



Earthy phosphates ■14'5 



Silica 0-5 



Metallic oxides 025 



Loss 75'J 



loiT" 

 " The analysis of the ashes of the 

 straw gave the following results : 



Potass 12-5 



Phosphate of potass 5 



Muriate of potass 3 



Sulphate of potass 2 



Eartliy phosphates 62 



Earthy carbonates 1 



Silica 6r5 



Metallic oxides 1 



Loss 7'8 



ToiF 

 "The analysis of the ashes of the 

 whole plant, when in blossom, gives 

 of 



Soluble salts 41 



Earthy phosphates 10~5 



Earthy carbonates 025 



Silica 26 



Metallic oxides 5 



Loss 21-5 



100- 



"By comparing these results, it 

 will appear that, from the time of 

 flov.ering to the maturity of the seed, 

 a portion of the soluble salts is re- 

 placed by earthy phosphates ; that 

 silica accumulates in the straw, but 

 not in the grain ; and as potass is 

 the principal means of rendering the 

 silica soluble, it is an important in- 

 gredient in a wheat soil, as well as 

 the phosphoric acid. This last is 

 found oliiefly in bone earth and ani- 

 mal manures. 



" Although wheat thrives best on 

 heavy soils, and, without due prepar- 

 ation, produces only scanty and un- 

 certain crops in those winch are nat- 

 urally light and loose, it may be made 

 to give a very good return in soils 



which would once have been thought 

 fitted only for the growth of rye and 

 oats ; but then the texture and com- 

 ])osition of th(!se soils must have i)ecn 

 greatly improved by jiulicious tillage 

 and manuring. AXhilc the heavy soils 

 are repeatedly ploughed and pulver- 

 ized to render them mellow, the light- 

 er are rendered more compact by 

 marling, where this can be readily 

 done, hy adding composts in which 

 the principal earth is clay, and espe- 

 cially by such jjlants as have sub- 

 stantial and long roots, by which the 

 soil is kept together, such as clover, 

 lucern, sainfoin, and other grasses. 

 If these plants have been well manu- 

 red, and cover the ground well, keep- 

 ing in the moisture, the soil will have 

 become siiihciently compact to bear 

 wheat. One ploughing is then quite 

 sufficient ; and if a heavy land-press- 

 er is made to follow two ploughs and 

 press in the furrows, so as to leave 

 deep, smooth drills, eight or nine 

 inches apart, in which the seed can 

 find a solid bed, there will be every 

 probability of a good crop of wheat, 

 which will come up in regular rows, 

 the roots being at such a depth as 

 to run no risk of wanting moisture 

 till the stem has arisen to its full 

 height and the ear is formed ; a few 

 showers at that critical time will 

 make the grain swell, and ensure a 

 good crop. 



" On some soils it may not be ju- 

 dicious to attempt to sow wheat; 

 but these are the poorest loose sands, 

 which naturally would bear only oats 

 and buckwheat ; on these, unless 

 they can be abundantly marled, it is 

 much better to sow rye. When 

 wheat is sown on light soils in good 

 heart, it grows vigorously in spring, 

 if it has not been injured by the frost, 

 which is very apt to raise up the 

 roots and throw them out of the 

 ground. The driving of sheep ovei 

 the field presses the roots into the 

 ground, and prevents this throwing 

 out ; but a vigorous growth of straw 

 is not always a sure sign of a good 

 crop at harvest, as many farmers 

 know by sad experience ; what would 

 be advisable in heavy soils is not al- 



855 



