128 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



likewise states facts relative to the culture and circumstances 

 attending crops of wheat grown by William Wells, Esq., in 

 Shelburne, Mr. Charles Williams, of the same place ; Mr. 

 Orrin Dole, of Deeriield ; Mr. Augustus Wells and John 

 Wilson, Esq., of the same place; Dr. Hastings, captain 

 Bastings, Mr. Morton, and major Porter, of Hatfield, Massa- 

 chusetts; Mr. Ames and Hooker Leavit, Esq., of Greenfield, 

 Massachusetts ; Mr. William Russell, of Middletown, Con- 

 necticut; Mr. Jeremiah Wadsworth, of Hartford ; Dr. Payne, 

 of Worcester; and Justin Ely, Esq., of West Springfield. 



Mr. Colman states that ' Early sowing, from the best ob- 

 servation I have made of the wheat crops which have come 

 under my notice, from the united and decided opinion of the 

 British wheat growers, and from many American authori- 

 ties, is to be strongly advised. The reason is obvious : the 

 wheat crop should be as far advanced in the spring as possi- 

 ble, that it may perfect its seed before the hot and sultry 

 weather usual in July.' 



Sir John Sinclair says, ' If a field be evidently aflfected 

 [with mildew] and the progress of vegetation stopped, the 

 only way to preserve the straw and the grain, if any has 

 been formed, from being entirely lost, is to cut it down imme- 

 diately, even though the crop should not be ripe. The straw 

 is thus preserved, either for food or litter, and it is maintain- 

 ed that any nourishment in the stem will pass into and feed 

 the grain, and make a greater return than could well be ex- 

 pected.' 



Black Sea Wheat. Paj^son Williams, Esq., of Fitch- 

 burg, Massachusetts, has introduced into this country a new 

 kind of wheat with the above appellation, which he has thus 

 described in a communication published in the Northern 

 Farmer. 



The wheat mentioned by you as gro\^^l by me the past 

 season I not only consider as a remarkable crop in quantity, 

 fifty-five bushels and three quarters, (it being spring wheat,) 

 but very excellent in quality. Its history, so far as I am 

 able, shall be given. Three years since, my brother, captain 

 Stephen Williams, brought me one bushel from Smyrna, 

 which he obtained, as he informed me, from a ship while dis- 

 charging a cargo of that kind of grain from the abundant 

 shores cf the Black sea; hence its name. Observing by the 

 map that we were in about the same latitude, I made trial 

 the first season of but one peck, (not being certain that it 

 was spring wheat.) The product was large in straw ; but 



