1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



459 



lie opinion is constantly changing. The results, 

 too, with regard to the same kind of seed are dif- 

 ferent under different cultivation, and are materi- 

 ally affected by the season. It can hardly be ex- 

 pected that I can give any definite knowledge on 

 this subject from my limited experience in two 

 seasons, and with one kind alone. We have the 

 record of more than one hundred kinds, but many 

 more of winter than spring. I shall only speak 

 in general terms of the two kinds. 



0£ winter icJieaf I have had no experience, and 

 have not known of its cultivation in this vicinity, 

 in the past twenty years, except by a very few farm- 

 ers. I trust we shall sow more of the winter va- 

 rieties, as they can be sown in a season of leisure, 

 and are less liable to be injured by insects. The 

 grain is heavier, and the same quantity yields 

 much more flour, and of superior quality. The 

 greatest objection to it, is its liability to be killed 

 in eai'ly spring, by freezing and thawing, and this 

 may be remedied in part by a different mode of 

 cultivation. Sow before the middle of September, 

 on a rich and well pulverized, loamy, and warm 

 soil, and cover the seed at least two laches deep, 

 and pass a roller over it, and you may safely cal- 

 culate on a paying crop. Wet land will not ma- 

 ture wheat, neither will it rye. Dry, loamy lands, 

 with a little descent, are the best for either. Some 

 farmers think (judging from their work) that the 

 fall grains may be sov/n any time before the snow 

 flies. This is a great mistake. October is even 

 too late, as the ground is then cold, and the plant, 

 if it starts, has only a small and tender root, and 

 is quite liable to be thrown out and destroyed by 

 the frosts of winter. Another reason for sowing 

 fall grain is, the work comes when we have more 

 leisure time, and our teams are in full strength. 

 Our springs, too, are extremely short, and it is 

 difficult for the farmer to complete his work be- 

 fore the season of planting is over. 



Spring Wheat. — Many of our farmers are now 

 in the habit of raising spring wheat of the kind 

 called Java, and some grow more than they can 

 consume. It is quite productive, yielding from 

 twenty to thirty bushels to the acre, and makes 

 good bread, but not very white, like some of the 

 winter kinds. I had a barrel sent me, as a pres- 

 ent, from the State of Maine, in 1859, with direc- 

 tions for sowing. The original seed was found in 

 some Java coffee, benefits name, and it was rep- 

 resented as being the surest kind in that State. 

 The directions were to make a strong brine of 

 salt and water, enough to cover the grain and 

 something more. Stir it thoroughly, so that the 

 impure seeds will rise ; skim them off and let the 

 wheat remain in the brine at least forty-eight 

 hours. Do not be fearful of sowing the seed too 

 early on account of cold. Get it in as soon as 

 you can possibly work the ground, and sow not 

 over seven pecks to the acre. Some have of late 

 years prepared their ground in the fall, ready for 

 the seed, sowing immediately after the snow leaves 

 in the spring, even as early as the fifteenth of 

 April, and succeeded well. The barrel of wheat 

 sent me, was sown April 2oth, 1859, on a black, 

 loamy soil, with the exception of one-third of an 

 acre, which was ledgy and sandy. The land was 

 in a low condition, producing not more than one- 

 half ton of hay per acre, and was plowed and 

 planted with corn the year previous, with an ap- 

 plication of thirty horse loads of compost manure 



from the cellar, to the acre. Grass seed was sown 

 with the wheat, and yielded the present season, 

 not less than three tons to the acre in two crops. 



WHEAT FIELD, 1859. Dr. 



To carting 42 loads of manure, man and horse, 2 days.... 4,00 



42 loads of manure, .^ to present crop, $1 ■^ load 21,00 



Man spreading same, 1 day 1,00 



Man and 2 horses plowing in same, 1.^ day 3,75 



" " harrowint; both ways, i day 1,50 



Man and horse rolling, J day 50 



Man sowing both ways, J day 33 



Man cradling ledi.'y part 33c, and 4 reaping 4-5 day 6,00 



JIan binding, 2 days 2,00 



2 men and horse drawing to barn, \ day 1.50 



Thrashing 43i bushels, ICc ^ bushel 4,35 



Drawing to muster-ground and back 3 tons 4,50 



Drawing to Bedford 2 tons, 1 ton lost by waste 3,00 



2| bushels seed wheat, $1,50 #" bushel 4.12 



$e6,55 



Cr. by 43i bushels of wheat, $1,50 $65,25 



Use of 3 tons straw, $10 30,00 



2 tons same straw sold, $8 16,00— $111,25 



Balance $54,70 



The wheat raised in 1860 was in six different 

 lots, and sown as fast as they could be got ready, 

 commencing the middle of April and finishing 

 the 10th of May, on land adjoining, in part, the 

 field of the previous year, and much such land, 

 except two acres, which were sandy and had been 

 planted two years with corn. All had been plant- 

 ed with corn in 1859, with thirty loads of com- 

 post manure plowed in upon each acre, as near as 

 we could calculate. These lots were in a low 

 state of cultivation, as might be expected, for a 

 portion of them had not been plowed in twenty 

 years. One acre of the land was not manured for 

 wheat. 



WHEAT FIELD, 1860. De. 



To man and horse carting 140 loads of manure, 7 days.. $14,00 



140 loads of manure, \ to present crop 70,00 



Man spreading the same, 3 days 3,00 



Man and 2 horses plowing, 4 days 12,00 



13 bushels of seed, $l,goV bushel 19,50 



Man and 2 horses harrowing both ways, 2 days 6,00 



Man sowing both ways, 25c ^ acre 1,62 



Man and horse rolling, 25c -t?" acre 1,62 



Cutting with machine, $1 ■^ acre 6,60 



Binding, $1 iP' acre 6,50 



4 men and 2 horses drawing to barn, 1 day 6,00 



Thrashing 145 bushels of wheat, 10c 14,50 



$161,24 



Cb. by 145 bushels of wheat, $1.50 $217,50 



9 J tons of straw, by estimate, $10 97,50— $315,00 



Balance $153,76 



From these two experiments, I have made up 

 my mind that wheat is the most profitable of all 

 the grain crops, and can be raised as easily as 

 any. It was once thought that it must be grown 

 on rich clays and heavy loams, but even on sandy 

 land it is now grown extensively. I have taken 

 no more pains than was taken with rye and oats 

 the same seasons, except in the selection of the 

 ground. I made a point to sow it where it would 

 grow, on land neither too wet nor too dry ; just 

 such land as can be found on almost every farm 

 in town. I meant to raise a crop that would com- 

 pare with my neighbors. 



There is a useful lesson to be learned from com- 

 paring the results of liberal and skillful cultivation. 

 It stimulates the careless and indifferent to culti- 

 vate their lands better. We require to know 

 what has been done. No good cultivator would 

 willingly stop short of what has been reached by 

 others, nor should this satisfy him if there is a 

 possibility of doing better. In conclusion, I would 

 say to the farmers of Concord, raise your own 



