114 



FARM CROPS 



unharvested crop is plowed under as a green 

 manure for depleted or otherwise worn-out lands. 

 Its value in the latter instance is due to the humus 

 that is added to the soil. The leading buckwheat 

 states are New York and Pennsylvania. The crop 

 will grow on land where most other crops would 

 starve. It shares with rye this distinction of being 

 a poor land crop. Its best yields are obtained from 

 fertile, well-drained and sandy loams. Wheat lands 

 or stiff clays never attract the crop. A good yield 

 on good ground is about 40 bushels to the acre, 

 although the general average is only about half 

 this amount. Frost destroys buckwheat and there- 

 fore its season of growth is much shorter than most 

 other farm crops. However, 75 days are usually 

 enough to bring it to maturity. It will then run 

 from 2 to 2j^ feet in height. From May to August 

 is the usual time for seeding in the South, and from 

 June I to July 10 the usual time in the North. The 

 seed should be covered about 2 inches deep and 

 may be drilled or scattered broadcast. It is ,the 

 latter method that is most common. About a half 

 bushel of seed is used to the acre. The general 

 rule is that the better the land, the more the seed. 

 The soil should be well prepared just, the same as 

 for other small grain seeds. 



In fertilizing, potash, phosphoric acid and lime 

 are the elements most in demand by the plant and 

 they should be supplied previous to seeding. While 

 considerable manure is helpful, it is usually pre- 

 ferred for other crops. The grain ripens unevenly, 

 the blossom season extending over a period of two 

 to four weeks in length. A good rule is to harvest 

 just after the first seeds have ripened. To delay 

 much after this is to lose this ripened seed. After 



