244 



STATISTICS or WHEAT CrLTrEE. 



Xothing is more needed at this time than a good geological map of the United 

 States, accompanied by an acciu'ate and popnlaiiy arranged Tvork on agTicultm-al 

 geology. The Tvriter had hoped to give such a map in this report ; but it is 

 thought best to devote another year to the collection of geological surveys and 

 facts, and to the mating of more critical and extended reseaiches before 

 publishing. 



In the matter of rotation of crops in connection with wheat culture, clover and 

 corn are generally preferred in all the Xorthern, and most of the Middle States. 

 In XeTV York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, ^Michigan, "Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, and 

 Illinois, so far as the writer is acquainted, a crop of wheat is made in rotation, 

 either every third, fourth, or fifth year. TTherever wool growing is united with 

 wheat culture, clover and wheat are the staple crops of the farm. Wool and 

 superfme flour are exported ; farmers taking nearly all the bran and shorts of 

 the millers who purchase their wheat. 



The offal of wheat makes not a little feed with chaff and cut straw. ]\Iany 

 agricultiuists grow peas, beans, turnips, beets, and carrots in large quantities, 

 as well as clover, corn, oats, and barley. Peas and beans, both stems and pulse, 

 when well cui'ed, are excellent feed for sheep ; and on good land they are easily 

 grown. They prepare the soil well for wheat. 



All the manure derived from sheep is husbanded with extreme care by the 

 farmers who are gradually eni'iching their lands. On a deep, rich, arable soil, 

 quite a number of sheep may be kept per acre, if highly cultivated ; and their 

 manui-e prepares the land for producing generous crops of wheat at a small 

 expense. Of all business men, farmers should be the closest calculators of 

 profit and loss. 



Great care should be taken to sow good and clean seed on clean land. 

 Previous to putting the seed in the gi'ound (drilling is preferable to sowing 

 broad-cast), wheat should be soaked five or six hours — not longer — in strong 

 brine. After this, add a peck or more of recently slaked lime to each bushel, 

 and shovel it over well, that the lime may cover each seed. It is now ready to 

 commit to the earth. ]\Iost good farmers roll the earth after seeding : some 

 before. 



In the Southern States, planters are in the habit of permitting their wheat to 

 remain too long in the field after it is cradled, and in small shocks. Good bams 

 are too scarce in all the planting States, and in some others. 



Simmer fcdloicing is generally abandoned, except in cases where old pastures 

 and meadows, new prairie, or bushy bad fields are to be subdued. As a general 

 iTile, friable soils need not be ploughed long before the intended crop is expected 

 to begin to grow. Among fertilizers, wood ashes, salt, bones, lime, guano, and 

 poudi'ette have been used in wheat culture "^"ith decided advantage. In Great 

 Britain, manm-e derived from the consumption of turnips and other root crops 

 by sheep and neat cattle, is much used in prepaiing land for wheat. Sheep, 

 clover and peas, corn and hogs, rotate well to insure the economical production 

 of this staple. Maniu'e is usually applied to the crop preceding wheat. 



It may be interesting to some readers to see in this place the mean result of 



several organic analyses of wheat made by M. Boussingault. '^Vheat, dried at 

 230 deg- in vacuo, was found to contain: 



Carbon , 46-1 



Oxygen 43*4 



Hydi'ogen 5 "8 



Nitrogen 2*3 



Ash 2-4 



Total 100-0 



Charcoal may be regarded as a fair representative of carbon, and water as 

 the representative of both oxygen and hydrogen. It will be seen by the above 



figures, that over 95 per cent, of wheat is made up of elements which greatly 

 abound in nature in an available condition ; and the same is true of all other 

 plants. It is doubtless owing to this circumstance, that a comparatively small 

 quantity of guano and other highly concentrated fertilizers are able to produce 

 crops five, ten, and fifty times greater than their own weight. Azote, or 



