AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHY , THE MOST USEFUL, AND THE MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN. -WASHINGTON. 
ORANGE JUDD, A. M., ) 
CONDUCTING EDITOR. ( 
Published Weekly by Allen &Co., No, 189 Water-st. 
( UNDER THE JOINT EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF 
I A. B. ALLEN & ORANGE JUDD. 
NEW-YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28, 1855. 
[NEW SERIES.—NO. 77. 
VOL. XIII.—NO. 25.] 
Jbr $ro0fi£clu0, (forms, &c., 
t^=SEE LAST PAGE.^ 
SsSP 3 ” Every one writing to the Editors or 
Publishers of this journal will please read 
“ Special Notices ,” on last page. 
CULTIVATION OF SPRING WHEAT- 
The cultivation of spring wheat has been 
too much neglected in our country. Much 
of the land east of the State of New-York, 
is unfitted for the profitable growth of winter 
wheat, and its cultivation there has been, 
for more than half a century, almost wholly 
abandoned. It seems not to have occurred 
to most of the farmers in that region, that 
the growing of spring wheat as a substitute, 
could be undertaken with success. The 
greatly augmented price of this valuable sta¬ 
ple, within the past few years, however, has 
induced some of the most intelligent to try 
their long-abandoned wheat fields once more, 
and the most satisfactory results have fol¬ 
lowed their introduction of spring wheat. 
From 30 to 40 bushels have been repeatedly 
grown, at a cost not exceeding 50 cents per 
bushel; and this ought to be considered a 
satisfactory price, when it has for some time 
past readily commanded $2 per bushel. 
The Soil for Wheat. —This must contain a 
due proportion of clay. Heavy clays, when 
underdrained and deeply worked, are the 
most enduring and productive for wheat; but 
choice wheat lands often embrace the lighter 
loams, and approach the alluvial, though the 
latter seldom prove good for this grain. It 
is not essential that the soil be a limestone, 
albeit a good application of lime is one of 
the best for it. A sandy soil is totally unfit 
for wheat. 
Preparation and Manures. —The best prep¬ 
aration for wheat is a previous cleanly-hoed 
crop, a clover ley, or freshly-turned mead¬ 
ow or pasture. The latter three are more 
sure for producing a sound crop than any 
other. If barnyard manures are to be used, 
they ought to be applied the previous year ; 
or, if circumstances compel their use direct¬ 
ly upon this crop, it must only be when thor¬ 
oughly rotted. If the soil has not been made 
sufficiently rich by previous applications, 
then guano and bone-dust should be plowed 
in, at the rate of 200 to 300 pounds of guano 
per acre, and twice the quantity of fine bone- 
dust, or its equivalent of superphosphate. 
Lime is always a good preparation for wheat, 
but it is better that it should have lain in 
he ground a year or two before sowing the 
wheat, when possible. Few manures pro¬ 
duce a better effect on wheat than an occa¬ 
sional dressing of salt, to the extent of 300 
or 400 pounds per acre, sown broadcast upon 
the surface. 
When the ground is a stiff clay, it is much 
better to plow it the preceding autumn, 
and as roughly as possible, so as to allow 
the winter frosts to pulverize it; and it is 
thus ready for sowing as soon as the frost 
has left the ground, and without any subse¬ 
quent plowing. The guano should invaria¬ 
bly be plowed in, and if done the preceding 
autumn, the better. Bone-dust and lime, 
and plaster, when the latter is used, should 
be kept near the surface of the soil, if possi¬ 
ble. If the spring is wet, it may not be prac¬ 
ticable to plow a stiff clay early enough to 
get in spring wheat seasonably ; in which 
case, it may be used for oats or some other 
crop. Lighter soils may be easily plowed in 
spring, (and the earlier the better,) and the 
wheat sowed immediately on the upturned 
forrows and thoroughly harrowed in. 
The Varieties of Spring Wheat differ in 
popularity, somewhat according to locality; 
but more according to the period they have 
been grown in any section, the latest intro¬ 
duced, if of a choice kind, generally being 
preferred; showing conclusively, if this pre¬ 
ference be well founded, that a change of 
seed occasionally is decidedly beneficial. 
We believe, however, that soil and situation 
have much to do with the success of this 
crop ; and it is greatly to be regretted, that 
a more careful observation on the part of 
American farmers, has not assigned to pe¬ 
culiar soils and other considerations, partic¬ 
ular varieties of spring wheat, as being best 
suited to insure the largest yield. The kinds 
most in vogue a few years since, were the 
Siberian, the Black Sea, and the Italian. 
These, though still largely cultivated, have 
recently given place in some measure to the 
Tea, the Golden Drop, and some others. 
Preparation of Seed. —As a preventive of 
smut, it is better to wash all seed, however 
apparently clean it may be, in strong, warm 
brine for a few minutes, skim off the light 
and foul seeds which rise to the top, pour off 
the brine to heat again for another parcel of 
wheat, then sift slaked lime over it, and 
spread the wheat out on boards in the sun or 
under cover to dry. Sow as soon as dry. 
Urine, either from the house or stables, that 
has become stale, and is beginning to give 
off ammonia, (which is readily known by its 
pungent odor,) may be used instead of brine, 
and with perhaps equal efficacy; but in nei¬ 
ther case ought the dusting, or rather thor¬ 
ough coating, with lime to be dispensed with, 
otherwise the kernels of the wheat adhere 
to each other, rendering it difficult to sow. 
Soaking in brine over a quarter of an hour 
or so might injure the vitality of the seed; 
and if not sown soon after drying it might 
not germinate well. This is the best method 
we know of to rid the seed of any foul stuff, 
such as chess and the like, which still re¬ 
mains in it, after the most careful tillage and 
winnowing. If the wheat is poured into the 
brine slowly, and then well stirred up, thi3 
will be found floating on the top with the 
chaffy seeds, and can then be easily skim¬ 
med off. 
Wheat should be Sown with the Drill. —This 
secures a uniform depth of covering, which 
is seldom made deep enough with the har» 
row. It secures economy of seed, as all is 
buried and vegetates, and is not left to waste, 
and depredation on the surface. There is a 
remaining and important consideration sel¬ 
dom thought of by the unreflecting. All 
plants require the free circulation of air, 
equally with moisture and fertility of soil. 
Through their leaves, they derive large por¬ 
tions of carbonic acid from the atmosphere, 
which aids so largely in building up the struc¬ 
ture of every plant, (nearly 50 per cent, of 
all consisting of carbon); they drink in moist¬ 
ure from the humid air through every pore 
of stem, branch and leaf; and we are not 
quite certain they do not draw somewhat 
from the air of that life-sustaining, crop- 
enlarging principle—ammonia. By drilling, 
we enable the plants to have the readiest 
access to a full supply of air; while by sow¬ 
ing broadcast, we place the growing wheat 
in the worst possible condition for obtaining 
it. Let a man hold a lighted taper on the 
lee end of one of these drills, thickly walled 
up by the standing grain, (which should al¬ 
ways be made in the direction of the pre¬ 
vailing winds,) and he will find it blown out 
in a moment, when it would be scarcely seen 
to flicker on the edge of a broadcast field. 
This arrangement further aids the crop, by 
the prevention of rust, in certain conditions 
of the atmosphere, known as close, muggy 
(hot and damp) weather. A free circulation 
of air is the only preventive known for this 
malady. 
Quantity of Seed per Acre. —When sown 
broadcast, two bushels per acre is little 
enough, and two and a half is preferable, 
especially in stiff land. Spring wheat has 
but a few weeks to mature in, and cannot 
therefore, like winter wheat, have time to 
