1898 
PHE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
545 
Better Split the Posts. 
It is to be feared from the number of questions asked, 
that the reader may meet with indifferent success in 
his undertaking 1 . 1. Cut in July or August, leaviDg 
trees untrimmed till the leaves have become thor¬ 
oughly dry, though I question whether it makes much 
difference when they are cut. 2. The sap-wood rots 
more quickly than sound heart-wood, hence a part of 
a sound tree would outlast a small tree which contains 
a much larger proportion of sap. Often the heart- 
wood of a large tree is dozy and starting on the road 
to decay, while the heart-wood of a young free is 
sound. 3. Yes, the part underground. 4. There are 
a number of modes of treatment for posts, but they 
cost too much, so much that railway companies are 
still using ties untreated. 5. By all means season 
well before putting posts in the ground. A green post 
will rot much sooner than a dry one. 6. This is a 
queer question to .ask, and indicates a lack of experi¬ 
ence on the part of your correspondent. This depends 
on the condition of the subsoil, and the nature of the 
braces used at the ends. In solid soil, set 30 inches 
down ; in lighter soil, three feet. Much of the success 
depends on ramming the soil well, especially at the 
bottom of the hole and toward the top. The best posts 
come from the toughest wood of butt-sticks or first 
cuts. w. J. BEAL. 
Michigan Experiment Station. 
THE AMERICAN WHEAT CROP. 
ITS PLACE IN FARM HOTATIONS. 
In spite of the fact that we hear so much of the 
great bonanza farms of the West, the bulk of the 
American wheat is still grown upon the smaller farms, 
where the wheat crop forms part of the regular farm 
rotation. We think our readers will be interested to 
know how wheat is grown in different parts of the 
country, and what place it fills in the regular routine 
of the farm. In New Jersey, where more wheat is 
grown than ever before, the crop usually follows pota¬ 
toes in the farm rotation. Practically all of the fer¬ 
tilizer used in five years is applied to the potato crop. 
After the potatoes are dug, the ground is fitted by 
plowing and harrowing, and sown to wheat with a 
fair seeding of Timothy. Wheat grown in this way 
yields all the way from 18 to 30 bushels per acre. The 
grass following it is cut two • years. Then the accu¬ 
mulation of stable manure on the farm is spread on 
the sod to be plowed under in the Spring for the corn 
crop. Years ago, wheat followed corn, and a good 
deal of the stable manure was applied to this crop. 
The new rotation works much better, giving, on the 
whole, better wheat, more potatoes and better grass, 
while the farmers all agree that the corn crop makes 
the best use of the stable manure. 
After Oats or Clover in Indiana. 
An idea of the practice of Indiana farmers may be 
obtained from the following note. As will be seen in 
this case, wheat usually follows oats or clover. Here, 
as elsewhere, the old plan of sowing wheat in the 
corn is being largely discontinued, while fertilizers 
low in nitrogen are being used directly with the 
wheat: 
Wheat here usually follows oats or clover ; the cus¬ 
tom of seeding ground to wheat is seldom practiced 
now. Fertilizers are used to some extent, and with 
good results, both as to yield and quality, the berry 
being harder where fertilizer is used. Manure is 
seldom used directly on ground intended for wheat. 
The rotation followed here is, corn first, and the 
manure is used on this ; oats follow corn, wheat fol¬ 
lows oats, and clover is sown on the wheat ground in the 
Spring. One crop of hay and one of seed are taken 
from the clover, and very often, wheat is sown on the 
inverted clover sod. 
As soon after harvest as the ground is in condition 
and the press of work will permit, the ground is 
broken up ; it is allowed to lie in this condition for 
several days, when disk harrows, drags and rollers 
are brought into use, the object in view being to get 
the ground thoroughly fined and mellow. It is allowed 
to settle and become solid, when the smoothing har¬ 
row is used to get a fine mulch on top, when the wheat 
is put in with a drill. If fertilizer is used, it is drilled 
in with the wheat. Wheat is sown late here ; this 
custom obtained because of the prevalence of the 
Hessian fly several years ago, and it is believed that 
this custom is responsible for this pest being almost 
entirely eradicated. 
The varieties best adapted for this section are the 
Fultz and Poole; almost every other variety has been 
tried, but none equals these for yield and quality ; 
1 bushel of seed is used per acre. What promised 
to be an unusual yield of wheat this year, has been 
reduced by the heads being only partially filled, so 
that our yield the county over will be about 15 bushels 
per acre. 
The ideal conditions for a large yield I have found 
from an observation of over 30 years and a practical 
experience of over 15 years, are brought about by 
drilling fertilizer with the wheat, the ground being 
prepared as stated above, seeding to clover the fol¬ 
lowing Spring, taking two crops of hay, turning under 
the clover and sowing to wheat. I have never known 
this to fail to produce a heavy crop, no matter what 
the season proved to be. D. w. b. 
Clay County, Ind. 
Wheat-Growing in Central Michigan. 
Michigan wheat has always been noted for its high 
quality. The following notes will show how the better 
class of farmers handle the crop in the central part of 
the State: 
With the increased demand for wheat, the interest 
taken in securing a full crop has also increased. As 
this part of the State can hardly be said to be devoted 
to any especial line of farming, the system followed, 
even by successful growers, is greatly varied. The 
foundation of all systems that give promise of per¬ 
manent success is clover. In those sections where 
beans are raised as a money crop, the best farmers 
aim to turn a heavy, well-fertilized clover sod in late 
Spring, or after the early Spring crops are in, which 
is thoroughly rolled and pulverized, contrary to the 
old theory that beans will grow anywhere. These are 
thoroughly cultivated through the growing season, 
and leave the land in fine condition for a crop of 
wheat. They are ready to remove about September 1. 
One farmer will often raise from 10 to 80 acres of 
beans followed by wheat. 
In those sections where cattle and cows are kept 
more exclusively, the wheat follows corn and oats ; 
the corn is well fertilized with yard manure in the 
Spring, also the oat ground after the oats are removed, 
either before or after plowing the ground for wheat, 
which is dene as soon as the oats are removed. It is 
then repeatedly rolled and cultivated, until time to 
sow the wheat, generally from September 15 to 20, using 
from 40 to 50 quarts of seed per acre. The only prepa¬ 
ration needed after beans is thorough cultivation with 
a common cultivator or spading harrow. 
This system of growing wheat does not generally 
result in as large a growth of straw as the old Sum¬ 
mer-fallow, but we are more successful in securing a 
good catch of clover on the wheat ground than by the 
old system. Commercial fertilizers are not used as much 
as a few years ago, not because they fail to benefit the 
crop, but because the cost is in excess of the benefit 
received. 
The Improved Clawson is largely raised here, which 
is only the old variety improved by selection. Ruby 
is, also, extensively raised; this is a bearded red 
wheat, and yields heavily, but is subject to Stinking 
smut. At present writing (July 18) wheat thrashing 
has been in progress about a week, and many fields 
are yielding from 30 to 40 bushels per acre of a fine 
quality, although, of course, the average is much less, 
because the average farmer is not a good wheat 
grower. L. J. post. 
Kent County, Mich. 
Notes from New York Farmers. 
In western New York, there has been a great change 
in wheat culture of late years. Probably the follow¬ 
ing notes are typical of the practice of good farmers : 
The best farmers about here manure sod ground, 
plant beans ; the next Spring, sow barley or oats; as 
soon as possible after harvest, plow and cultivate 
thoroughly, put on all the fine, rotten manure they 
can make through the Summer, and use phosphates 
on what land they cannot cover with manure. They 
sow about two bushels to the acre, using about 
200 pounds of phosphate per acre on ground without 
manure. I cannot name the kind of wheat raised. 
The farmers about here have reaped some excellent 
crops of wheat raised as I have described. u. h. ii. 
Albion, N. Y. 
The wheat crop here usually follows oats or barley. 
Land that has previously raised barley is considered 
the best, as the ground can be plowed much earlier. 
The best farmers here plow the ground as soon as the 
oats and barley are harvested, and then roll as fast 
as plowed, which helps hold the moisture and sprout 
the grain that has been left on the ground; then they 
harrow with a spring-tooth harrow as many times as 
possible before sowing, and perhaps roll down a num¬ 
ber of times. Many that have thistles and Quack 
grass go over the land a couple of times with a wheel 
cultivator that will cut up all the ground, or a gang 
plow. A few top-dress with barnyard manure, but 
most farmers put all their manure on the corn ground. 
Nearly all use 150 to 200 pounds of fertilizer per acre. 
There are, of course, a good many varieties of wheat 
sown here. I think that at least two-thirds is 
Lancaster or Lancaster and Clawson mixed, using six 
to eight pecks per acre. h. c. w. 
Clyde, N. Y. 
About all in this section grow wheat after barley or 
oats. Some plow the stubble shallow as soon as the 
crops are harvested, then put on what manure they 
may have and plow again. Others put the manure on 
the stubble, and plow only once. Nearly all try to 
have a fine, compact seed-bed. I do not know of any 
who have tested the two different methods on the 
same field. I used to plow twice, but some years, it 
was so' dry that the stubble did not rot or become 
compact, so it was almost impossible to make a good 
job plowing the second time. Scarcely any one Sum¬ 
mer-fallows here any more; I know of only one in 
this town this year. Last year I had a four-acre field 
of oats; one-half of it was a complete yellow, being 
covered with wild mustard. When it was in full bloom, 
I plowed it under, oats and all, theu plowed it again 
for wheat, using about 200 pounds of Bradley's fertil¬ 
izer per acre, and from the two acres, had nine loads 
of wheat. I have a six-foot Columbia harvester, and 
could cut only from two to three feet wide, as there 
was such a lot of straw and such a tangled mess, it 
would not elevate. Almost all use about 200 pounds 
of the leading brands of fertilizer per acre. We think 
a long-berry red wheat the best; the Lancaster gives 
the best results. Some have sown a white wheat on 
low land, as the straw is much stiffer and does not get 
down so badly. We sow from 1% to 2 bushels per 
acre, from September 1 to 15. Of late, those who sow 
early get the best results. The surface of the ground 
must be fine and compact. The best wheat is usually 
found at the ends where it has been trodden down by 
the constant turning of the horses. Lumps of soil will 
not raise good crops unless they are pulverized before 
seeding. A roller is as essential as a harrow in fitting 
the ground. V. K. 
Rose, N. Y. 
Careful plowing and fitting the land are necessary, 
plowing as soon as possible after the crop of oats or 
barley can be secured, then keeping the harrow goiug 1 
as often as possible up to seeding time, to keep mois¬ 
ture in the soil, and make a nice seed-bed. Wheat 
usually follows after barley or wheat, unless in fal¬ 
low. Farmers use both fertilizer and manure if they 
have the manure; they like to top-dress with fine ma¬ 
nure, and then use about 200 pounds of good super¬ 
phosphate. I have used the R. N.-Y. No. 6, and find it 
a very good yielder. The old-fashioned Clawson is 
well liked here. k. b. n. 
Sodus, N. Y. _ 
Farmers’ Club. 
English Walnuts for Massachusetts. 
A. L. B., Boston , Mass .—Can the English walnut be successfully 
grown in Massachusetts ? In planting the nuts, is it proper to 
crack the shell, and plant the same as chestnuts ? 
Ans. —It would be useless to try to grow the Persian 
(English is an old but improper name) walnut in 
Massachusetts except in some well-sheltered spot. It 
is the most tender of all the Walnut family. Some of 
its varieties are more tender than others, but none of 
them is really hardy enough so far as we know now 
to make their culture profitable so far north. There 
are occasional trees growing in that State, but not 
very successfully. In the suburbs of New York City, 
there was a very large tree in bearing at the time the 
Revolutionary army was encamped there ; and from 
there southward, especially along the seacoast where 
the climate is mild and equable, there are trees here 
and there that have been bearing for many years. It 
is probable that the culture of this valuable nut may 
be much extended under proper and judicious efforts. 
The nuts should be secured in the Fall, and planted at 
once, but not more than an inch or so deep. Cracking 
would injure the kernel, and could be of no benefit. 
H. K. v. I>.| 
Pond for Irrigation. 
F. B. T., Visalia , Ky .—I am tbiukiug of making a pond in a 
hollow in the center of a 10-acre tract of nearly level land where 
I have asparagus, berries, etc., for the purpose of irrigating the 
tract. How shall I proceed to ^ret fully informed as to cost, ami 
all details connected with irrigation, supposing the pond to be 
made ? 
Ans.—T his question is wholly too indefinite to base 
any particular reply upon. Besides, the information 
desired as to all the details connected with irrigation 
fills a book of considerable size. We suggest that 
Stewart’s Irrigation for the Farm, Garden and Or¬ 
chard be procured, and the information desired may 
be gathered from it. Otherwise, we should know 
something of the source of the water supply, the quan¬ 
tity of water existing, the amount of land to be irri¬ 
gated, and especially, the size of the pond to be made, 
and whether it is to be excavated. The book can be 
procured from this ofiice for $1.50 postpaid. 
Cow Manure for Mulch.—Reader, Tennessee.—Ordinary cow 
manure does not make a first-rate mulch for strawberries. It is 
too heavy and thick, and is liable to freeze into heavy clumps 
that leave part of the plants exposed. Strawy horse manure 
makes the best mulch, but is so likely to bring weed seeds into 
the soil that it is quite objectionable; we like cow pea vines very 
much for a mulch. We consider it a good plan, where strawber¬ 
ries are grown, to sow cow peas ou some outlying poor field, cut 
them in the latter part of Summer and stack in the Held. These 
vines can be used for mulch, aud are heavy and thick enough to 
remain on the ground without much blowing about. 
