WHEAT. 



but much larger quantities are frequently fown in the 

 northern parts of the kingdom. It is obvious, however, that 

 where fuch large proportions of feed are made ufe of, the 

 plants muft be liable to be drawn up too much, and the 

 crops in coiifequence to become weak and imperfeftly fed, as 

 well as fmaller in the fize of the ears. There may be alfo dif- 

 advantages from making ufe of too fmall proportions of feed, 

 from the ground not being properly covered with plants ; 

 but where care is taken in the after-culture of the crops, lefs 

 danger is probably to be apprehended from this than the 

 other extreme, as a great number of plants will be fupplied 

 by the tillering or /hooting out of new ftems from the joints 

 about the furface, in confequence of the mould being laid 

 up againft them. 



In Hcrtfordfhire, in the broad-caft method, from two to 

 three bufhels are ufually fown. But in the county of Norfolk 

 they fow broad-caft, from two to two and a half bufhels ; 

 and in the drilling and dibbling methods, from five to fix or 

 feven pecks. 



In Eflex they fow broad-caft about two and a half 

 bufhels ; and in the drilling and dibbling modes, from feven 

 to ten or more pecks. 



In Suffex they fow a large quantity of feed, fome four 

 bufhels on ley land, and three upon tilth ; others three and a 

 half : but when this crop fucceeds peas, only three, if it 

 be early, but if late, more. The medium quantity is about 

 three. 



In Berkfhire commonly from two and a half to three in 

 the broad-caft fowings of this crop. 



And in Oxfordfhire from two to two and a half, and fome- 

 times three. 



In the fowing of the fpring fort of this grain, the quan- 

 tity made ufe of is various. Some, for a full crop, fow 

 fourteen pecks to the acre, but with grafs-fecds only nine. 

 Eight pecks have produced an abundant crop in fome cafes, 

 on the fame portion of land. Others advife two bufhels to 

 the acre ; and fay that the earlier it is fown the lefs feed will 

 be required. Sometimes three bufhels are fown upon the 

 acre. However, from two and a half to three bufhels on 

 the acre may be confidered as the moft proper quantity. In 

 the dibbling method, four pecks and a half have been found 

 fufficient for an acre and a half. 



The broad-caft praftice of putting this fort of crop into 

 the ground is the moft common on the heavier kinds of wheat- 

 lands, as thofe of the clayey and loamy forts, the feed being 

 harrowed well in by a rather light harrow. But in the 

 lighter forts of wheat-lands, the drilling method is often 

 praftifed when they are clean, and fuiBciently mellow and 

 mouldy on the furface. Sometimes, too, the feed is put in 

 partly by the plough, and partly by the harrow. In fome 

 diftriAs it is ploughed in on the fallows, and harrowed in 

 on clover. The clover-leys are alfo occafionally ploughed 

 in fome cafes, and have the feed fcuffled in, and folded upon 

 by fheep. See Sowing, Seed, &c. Alfo Under-Furrow 

 Sowing. 



Some farmers prefer a ftale furrow for fowing wheat upon, 

 while others are in favour of the contrary praftice. A ftale 

 furrow is probably, however, the beft in many cafes. See 

 ST/i.LE.-Furroiv. 



Preparing feed-wheat for fowing is praftifed in many 

 cafes and places in different modes and manners. See 

 Pickling, Steeping, &c. Alfo WnEXT-Seed, Liming 



The depth of putting the feed in fhould not probably be 

 more than from one to two or three inches. 



Ill fome parts of Oxfordfhire the laft is the ufual depth, 

 Vox,. XXXVIII, 



and the farmers are generally friendly to depofiting the feed 

 to a fhallow depth. 



It is alfo the praftice with many farmers in thefe different 

 diftrifts to change their feed-wheat frequently. 



In the county of Sulfex, an intelligent and fpirited farmer 

 has found by long and attentive experience that a change of 

 feed-wheat is of effential importance to the cultivator, as 

 that feed which has been repeatedly fown over the fame 

 ground at length degenerates, and the produce each fuc- 

 ceeding year becomes inferior in quality ; on which account, 

 wheat that is apt to run to ftraw is fown on ley-land, and 

 the Hertfordfhire white fort on pea-ftubbles. 



In other diftrifts the praftice is thought by the beft 

 farmers to be always proper ; and that the feed-wheat 

 fhould be brought from a colder foil or fort of land than 

 that on which it is to be fown. See Change ©/"Seed, and 

 Seed. 



As foon as the feed has been put into the land, it fhould 

 conftantly be laid as dry as poffible by the conftruftion of 

 proper drains and water-furrows, fo as in all feafons to keep 

 the water from ftagnating upon it. See WATER-Fur- 

 rotving. 



It has been lately fuggefted as a beneficial praftice to 

 have the feed-wheat well trodden in at the time of fowing it 

 by fheep, or ftill heavier ftock, on heavy as well as light foils ; 

 as by this means the young plants are prevented from dying 

 away in the winter, from the land lying too light and hollow. 

 But more fafts are wanting to eftablifh the utihty of this 

 method of praftice in different cafes. See Treading Wheat 

 in, and Plough. 



Although under the prefent praftice ^ndmanag-ement in the 

 cultivation of wheat, the autumn or winter fort muft always 

 neceffarily occupy a large extent of the heavier kinds bf 

 wheat -lands in this country, and be raifed in the manner that 

 has been direfted above ; yet in a number of cafes the true 

 fpring fort may be cultivated, grown, and had recourfe to 

 with great advantage, fuccefs, and benefit. But in all fuch 

 culture, the real fummer fort muft always be employed, for 

 though the winter kind may be put into the ground writh 

 advantage in many cafes fo late as after the middle of Fe- 

 bruary, as has been feen above, it is better to have this real 

 fort for later fpring fowing, as it poffeffes many properties 

 highly neceffary for the purpofe. By fome it has been fup- 

 pofed that it would interfere with winter wheat, and that it 

 may be difficult to find proper courfes for introducing it in. 

 However, this fort of wheat fhould principally be cultivated 

 and grown on foils or lands, and in climates which are not well 

 fuited for winter wheat, or in cafes where that fort is particu- 

 larly hable to mildew. But though it may not be fuited for 

 univerfal application, it is moft likely to fucceed in the lighter, 

 the fenny, and the fofter forts of foil, where the winter wheat 

 is apt to be thrown out of the earth by frofty feafons. In 

 fuch cafes the courfes might be turnips, or rape, according 

 to the nature of the land, fpring wheat, clover, and oats, 

 or fome fuch rotations, as in fuch, if after the clover or 

 other grafs, the land be paftured for one year, the oat- 

 crops will be certain, and abundantly produftive. 



The preparation in fome cafes might be the rendering the 

 land fine and clean by one or more ploughing and proper 

 harrowing, and in others by ploughing and burning, and 

 fowing cole and other feeds and crops, for being fed off by 

 fheep, or in fome other fuch ways. 



In this manner large crops have been raifed in many dif- 

 ferent inftances, as thirty Winchefter bufhels, or more, on 

 the acre, which were ripe and ready at the fame time with 

 the other fpring-fown grain. It is a wheat which is faid to 

 Y y yield 



