CULTIVATION, SOILS, ETC. 191 



The flour, being poor in gluten (nitrogen compounds), 

 is better suited for cakes or porridge, or for the confec- 

 tioner's purpose, than for bread; mixed with wheat flour, 

 however, it makes a very palatable and nutritious loaf. 

 In this country it is grown chiefly for the purpose of 

 feeding game and poultry; indeed, the former are so 

 fond of it, that a small patch of buckwheat will be 

 sure to attract birds from even distant preserves. In 

 the market it readily sells for distilling purposes, the 

 large proportion of starch it contains rendering it very 

 suitable for that purpose. 



It is grown to a considerable extent abroad as a 

 manuring crop, being ploughed in green; and also as 

 a forage crop, both cattle and sheep being very fond of 

 it in a young state. When given after it has commenced 

 flowering, it has been noticed to produce bad effects on 

 both cattle and sheep ; therefore care should be taken to 

 give it in that state only in very small quantities. 



Buckwheat has a strong claim on our notice as an agri- 

 cultural plant, as it possesses properties which render it es- 

 pecially suitable for certain conditions of soil, and certain 

 positions in the rotations of the farm. It will grow and pro- 

 duce a marketable crop on the poorest natural description 

 of soils, or on other light' soils which have been neglected, 

 and allowed to sink into the lowest condition. It can* be 

 grown successfully and ploughed in advantageously at 

 the commencement of flowering as a green manure. The 

 late season at which it is sown, and its rapidity of growth, 

 enable it to be taken as an intermediate crop after late 

 turnips, or vetches or rye-grass cut for soiling for 

 instance, and previous to a regular straw crop. When, 

 from any adverse circumstances, the land is not prepared 

 early enough for the barley crop, buckwheat offers a very 

 good substitute for it, and then yields a far more beneficial 

 return. Although sown at the end of May or June, it is 



