160 RURAL NEW YORK 



ern [)art and the cultivated territory centeriii>i; on 

 Albany. In the former, the most extensive area is 

 throug'h the Finger Lakes and particularly on the 

 higher land on the Pennsylvania line, centering in 

 Tioga County. However, the production is heavy all 

 through western iSTew York back from the lake shores. 

 Its heavy production reaches well north along Cay- 

 uga Lake. Buckwheat is considerably grown in 

 northern New York. ^ 



The soils with which the growth of buckwheat are 

 most associated are those of the southern plateau, 

 the Wooster, Lordstown and the Volusia. The high 

 elevation and moist character of this soil coupled with 

 the fine fibrous root system give buckwheat the ad- 

 vantage over other cereals. 



The ten-year average yield of buckwheat for the 

 period ending in 1915 was 20.4 busliels, being 2 to 7 

 bushels more than in any preceding ten-year period 

 since 1870. The yield varies in different counties 

 from 12 or 14 to 28 bushels, the last being in Cajoiga 

 County. Evidently it is very susceptible to differ- 

 ences in season. Madison yielded 26 bushels in 1909, 

 Chautauqua 25.6, Steuben 14, Tioga 21, Albany 19.5, 

 Eensselaer 21 and Clinton 19 bushels. 



Buckwheat is perhaps most widely used as a cover- 

 and green-manure crop, particularly in orchards 

 where tillage is practiced. Planted in early summer, 

 it will make a good carpet by apple harvesting time. 

 If a hardy legume is added, this will fiU-in the fall 

 and following spring. In the hill country, the crop 

 is often used as a nurse in seeding grass. 



