424 NORFOLK SOCIETY. 



society, fully warrant this belief. The hidden causes, which 

 formerly rendered almost universally futile any attempts to 

 raise wheat here, seem to have been removed ; or have ceased 

 to act so injuriously. The same soil which had once been 

 regarded as wholly unsuited to this crop, is now seen to yield 

 large and profitable returns of wheat, with as much certainty 

 as of any other grain. We hope that the subject will receive 

 full consideration by our intelligent farmers, and that crops of 

 wheat will become as common as crops of oats and rye, or 

 Indian corn, in the county. 



One of the most frequent obstacles to the cultivation of 

 wheat, has been the apprehension of mildew to injure or de- 

 stroy the crop. " A custom prevails in some parts of England, 

 of sowing a small quantity of rye with the wheat crop, on all 

 the lighter description of soils. About two quarts to the acre 

 is the general proportion. Much advantage evidently arises 

 from this mixing of grain. The wheat is more plump than it 

 would have been if sowed alone, and a greater quantity of 

 wheat is grown upon the acre. On light soils, especially if 

 they are in high condition, wheat, when grown alone, is apt to 

 be mildewed ; but it is very rare to find this disease where a 

 small quantity of rye has been mixed with the wheat. This 

 preservation can only be accounted for by the shelter which 

 the rye affords to the wheat. No difficulty occurs in the ripen- 

 ing of the two grains, as they are both fit to cut at the same 

 period. In threshing, they are kept as distinct from the clean 

 wheat as possible, and the meslin is ground for household 

 bread." 



One crop of barley was entered for premium, by Capt. H. 

 Mason, of East Medway. He has raised upon two and a quar- 

 ter acres of ground, 78f bushels, at a cost of about 54 cents per 

 bushel, and a profit of more than 50 per cent. "We consider 

 barley as an exceedingly valuable crop for fattening beef cattle 

 and swine, and especially good when land is to be sown down 

 with grass seed and grain. We have awarded to Capt. Mason 

 the first premium of $4. 



Three crops of Indian corn were entered for premium. We 

 have awarded to Mr. William Pierce, of Needham the first 

 premium of ^8 for a crop of 90 bushels shelled corn, per acre, 

 raised at a cost of about 40 cents per bushel, yielding a net 



