310 



THE WHEAT CULTUEIST. 



drying of tlie grain the germs will be destroyed in a few 

 days. If the kernels be buried just deep enough to in- 

 sure germination, but not having sufficient depth of 

 earth to prevent being dried up by the burning sun, the 

 young plants wither and die for want of depth of earth. 



John Johnston, of Geneva, ^s'ew York, wi'ites : " I 

 noticed last year, on an adjoining farm, where the 

 wheat was drilled in, that it came up much better than 

 mine, where the seed was sown broadcast. In fact, the 

 wheat came up right. I could not account for the dif- 

 ference, at the time, between the appearance of my 

 grain and this in my neighbor's field, as my land is in 

 as good state of cultivation as his; and the seed was 

 put in on both farms at the same time. His field pro- 

 duced a good crop of grain, far above the average crop 

 of this county for several years past. It did not occur 

 to me, till this season, that the great difiference between 

 the two crops, was owing to his wheat being drilled in 

 while mine was sowed broadcast and harrowed in. Last 

 season, we both sowed our winter wheat in the former 

 part of September. My ground had been summer fal- 

 lowed, and I never saw a field in better condition for 

 receiving seed. A diy time ensued at the period of 

 sowing the seed. His drilled wheat came up evenly, 

 and grew luxuriantly ; while mine was exceeding thin 

 on the ground. On examining, I found that none of 

 my grain had vegetated, except those kernels that were 

 bmied deepest in the soil. It occuiTed to me then that 

 if I had drilled in my wheat, ray fields would have pro- 

 duced five or six hundred bushels of grain more than 

 they did yield. I will drill in my wheat hereafter. Old 

 as I am, I still live and learn. I expect my wheat will 

 yield this season only about twelve bushels per acre. 



