ESSEX SOCIETY. 33 



'' Wheat sometimes becomes too luxuriant in spring, espe- 

 cially when sown early — and then it is apt to become lodged 

 and run to straw more than to produce grain. In this case it 

 may be pastured, for a short time, with sheep." 



" The produce of the crop varies greatly with the seasons, 

 the nature of the soil, and the mode of cultivation. A fair 

 crop may be held to be thirty bushels per acre. The average 

 crop of England does not perhaps exceed twenty-two bushels, 

 and that of Scotland twenty-five. The weight of the straw 

 is reckoned to be about double to that of grain. As provender, 

 that is feed for cattle, wheat straw is considered inferior to 

 that of oats — better than that of barley. In other countries 

 of Europe, it is that which is most esteemed for provender, 

 being generally reduced to chaff. Wheat is subject to various 

 accidents, and diseases, and insects, some of them peculiar to 

 itself." But as no remedy for any of these, except the smut, is 

 suggested by our author, we here close our quotations and refer 

 the reader to the book itself for many other interesting remarks. 



The remarkable success of Benjamin Rogers, of Andover, 

 renders his statement specially interesting. The use of leached 

 ashes, which contain much lime and plaster of Paris, is well 

 worthy of notice. Farmers in many parts of Essex, we know, 

 have little faith in the value of the latter article as a manure, 

 but they may be in an error. The effect of gypsum is un- 

 doubtedly greater and more obvious in some places than in 

 others. But it by no means follows that it does no good in the 

 latter places. It may well remunerate for the expense which is 

 comparatively trifling, where its benefits are not obvious, and 

 we should recommend its use in all cases on wheat land, in 

 addition to other measures.* Ashes, leached or unleached, 

 should not be omitted. Unleached ashes are often too caustic 

 when applied fresh to growing plants in too large quantities. 

 Hence, with many, they are in less repute than leached ashes. 

 But since we know that potash makes an excellent compost 

 manure with meadow mud, we must believe that the soap 

 boiler extracts from ashes what is far more valuable to the 



* Plaster of Paris, on my farm in Middlelon, has not j^enernll}' produced obvious effecU. 

 But lliere we have seen its beueiil most decidedly on beans and onions. 



