5G8 Transactions of the American Institute. 



them to more profitable uses. Spring wheat \\\\\ be raised for a while 

 perhaps, but finally the whole country will be devoted to dairy or 

 other purposes that compensate the cultivators of the lands much 

 better than the returns from wheat. Thus the aggregate production 

 of wlieat is constantly falling off in all the older States. Xew lands 

 are bronght into cultivation as population extends west, and the first 

 effort of their owners is to raise wheat, and they continue its produc- 

 tion, in many cases, long after it has ceased to be a remunerating 

 crop, for wlieat raisers are always reluctant to give up the contest. 



The true wheat lands are such as will continue for ages to raise 

 good crops, when properly cultivated and managed. The proportion 

 that such lands bears to the whole area of our county is much smaller 

 than is generally supposed. The Hon, Theodore C. Peters in his 

 very able report, as one of the State Assessors of New York, pub- 

 lished in the Transactions of the jSTew York State Agricultural Society 

 for the year 1S63, estimates the area of the wheat lands to be 

 only thirteen per cent of tlie whole State, while he assigns to the 

 dairy thirty-five per cent. Of this thirteen per cent of wheat land, 

 he says (page 354) that forty-one acres in every 100 of improved 

 land, is devoted to pastures and meadows; and from his figures it 

 appears that of the 2,G00,209 acres of improved land adapted to the 

 raising of wheat, only 407,019 actually raised wheat in the year ISGO. 

 These figures of Mr. Peters show how limited is the area of the true 

 wheat lands in the Empire State, and they should teach their owners 

 something of their great value. 



Cultivation of Land for Wixtkk "Wheat. 



Imagining ourselves to be placed in a good climate and on a good 

 wheat soil, that is free from all stagnant Avater, and free from all 

 stumps, stones, or other obstructions to perfect cultivation, we inquire 

 as to wliat is the first thing to be done to raise a good crop. 



Of all the cereals, wheat demands that the soil should be pulverized 

 in the most perfect manner, and if the soil is naturally stiff and hard, 

 it must be broken to a considerable depth, that the roots may readily 

 penetrate the subsoil. This is the object and end aimed at in all the 

 plowing and harrowing that goes before sowing the seed. The cheap- 

 est way of doing the work is the best, providing it is really done. 

 When the country was new, and the land had been but little culti- 

 vated, this was a laborious process, and generally required several 

 plowings and harrowings. Judicious treatment of clayey lands, while 



