THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK x. 



CHAPTER III. 



ON THE CORN AND PULSE COMMONLY CULTIVATED FOR THEIR GRAIN 

 OR STRAW, OR AS GREEN FORAGE. 



WHEAT still holds, and is likely to hold, an important position 

 among English crops, and notwithstanding the large quantity of 

 land recently laid down to pasture, there are still about If million acres 

 of this crop grown annually in Great Britain, the area under wheat in 

 England alone having been 1,537,208 acres in 1907. It is the only 

 crop which has practically an unlimited market. All other crops have 

 to meet a limited demand, and if their cultivation is extended even 

 but very little, the supply exceeds the demand and there is a slack 

 sale for a portion of such crop. The straw of wheat is undoubtedly 

 valuable both as food and litter to the stock-master, and can ill be 

 spared by him. The many varieties of wheat are marked by varia- 

 tions in the form and colour of the chaff and kernel (or grain). In the 

 first place there are both red and white wheats, the name being applied 

 to the colour of the grain, and these form the chief sub-divisions ; 

 but there are also red wheats with white chaff, and white wheats 

 with red chaff. The chaff may be awned or beardless, and smooth 

 or rough. 



As a rule red wheats are preferred on heavy soils, and white wheats on 

 good light soils. Red wheat is the more vigorous in the straw and can 

 stand a cooler climate and wetter soil than the white ; but the white is 

 superior in quality. It is difficult to state which is the best universal 

 wheat, even if there be such a thing ; we are inclined to think there is 

 not. One of the safest guides in making a choice for a particular 

 locality is to ascertain what is the most popular wheat in the district, 

 for in all probability this will prove to be the best. New varieties that 

 are also good are introduced from time to time, so that if the rule were 

 too strictly adhered to there would be but little chance for a better 

 variety. Nevertheless, we would advise that any change should be 

 made with caution, and that only small breadths should be planted 

 with a new variety until it has been proved to be deserving of a wider 

 area. It is necessary to ascertain that both soil and climate are 

 suitable. Even on the same soil climate has so much effect, that a 

 variety which suits a soil for one season, or even for a succession of 

 seasons, may not be profitable to grow in another year, if the weather 

 is not similar. 



Of the varieties found most successful on cold land, Rivett's Cone, a 

 bearded coarse variety, with coarse straw, is the heaviest cropper, 

 though owing to its harshness the straw is unfit for feeding, but it is 



