1846 . 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
93 
for this reason thought it advisable to make a new im¬ 
portation. After one or two failures, we believe they 
succeeded in obtaining a kind supposed to be in some 
respects superior to that first introduced. It should be 
remarked, however, that in some sections, and under 
good management, the Black Sea wheat has considera¬ 
bly improved by cultivation in this country. The yield 
of this variety varies of course with the soil and season, 
but perhaps twenty bushels per acre may be said to be 
an average crop on medium soils. We have often 
known upwards of thirty bushels grown per acre, and 
in a few instances have seen well authenticated state¬ 
ments of fifty bushels per acre having been produced. 
OATS. 
Oats are more hardy than wheat, and will grow on 
many soils not suitable for that grain. In mountainous 
sections, where the soil is too wet and cold for any 
other kind of grain, they frequently give excellent re¬ 
turns, and it is very common also, that the weight per 
bushel is greater in such sections than in those favored 
with a milder climate and more fertile soil. In many 
parts of Ireland, and in the greater portion of Scotland, 
the oat crop furnishes the only reliance for breadstuffs; 
oat meal, in various forms, being the chief article of 
subsistence. 
Oats are undoubtedly far richer in nitrogenous or 
muscular matter, in proportion to the weight, than 
wheat. A comparison, according to the analysis of 
Prof. Johnston, shows this. One hundred pounds each 
of fine wheaten flour and shelled or hulled oats contain: 
Wheat. 
Oats. 
Muscular matter,. 
,. 10 lbs. 
18 lbs. 
Fat,. 
. 3 do 
6 do 
Starch,. 
65 do 
63 lbs. 
89 lbs. 
This may serve to give some explanation of the fact 
that the muscular power of horses is greater when fed 
on oats than when kept on any other food; and it serves 
also to lessen our wonder at the athletic feats, corporeal 
strength, and power of endurance shown by the stalwart 
Highlander, reared on this simple but nutritious fare. 
Preparation of the ground, quantity of seed, and t ime 
of sowing. —The earlier this crop can be got into the 
ground the better. One plowing, if well done, is gen¬ 
erally sufficient. The seed may be sown on the furrow, 
not less than three bushels per acre. Three bushels is 
the quantity we have formerly been in the habit of sow¬ 
ing per acre; but we have observed that nearly all the 
extraordinary large yields which have been lately ob¬ 
tained were from a larger quantity of seed than is gene¬ 
rally used, and we should not hesitate to use three and 
a half bushels. . 
PEAS. 
Peas m many parts of the country are a valuable crop. 
Like other leguminous plants, they rather ameliorate 
than exhaust the soil, and in this respect furnish an ex¬ 
cellent preparation for other crops. In some districts 
they are adopted as a “ green fallow” for winter wheat, 
with excellent effects, as they leave the ground clean 
and mellow. 
Peas are highly nutritious as food for animals. The 
proportion of nitrogenous or muscular matter they yield 
on analysis, is much greater than is given by any kind 
of grain, and they are often used, either by themselves 
or combined with oats, for fattening swine, as well as 
for feeding horses. They are also used to a considera¬ 
ble extent in domestic cookery, forming very nourish¬ 
ing and palatable soups. In some countries they are 
also mixed with grain, ground and made into bread. 
Peas are sometimes sown with oats, in the proportion 
of one-third peas to two-thirds oats. A variety of peas 
which has rather a light vine is preferable, as the rank¬ 
er kinds are apt to overrun the oats, and lay too close 
on the ground, but the straw of the oats will hold up 
the lighter ones, so that both the oats and peas will fill 
well. 
Preparation of the soil, time of sowing, and quantity 
of seed. —A loamy soil, rather inclining to clay, is best 
adapted to peas. Early sowing generally gives the best 
crop. Very hot weather is unfavorable to their filling, 
and it is hence advisable to have the crop well advanc¬ 
ed before the hottest part of the season comes on. A 
sod which was plowed the previous autumn, well har¬ 
rowed, makes a good bed for peas, but any good sward 
well broken up and mellowed, will answer—and if sod 
ground cannot be had, that which has been under culti¬ 
vation one or more seasons may be taken. No manure 
is generally needed; but if any is put on, it should be a 
small quantity of that which is thoroughly rotted, 
spread on the furrow and hai’rowed in. A large quan¬ 
tity of manure, or that which is in a green state, makes 
too great a growth of vines and tends to blight. 
The quantity sown per acre varies somewhat with the 
kind of pea, some being of a more spreading growth 
than others, and requiring less seed. It is usual also to 
sow a larger quantity of very large peas, than of small 
ones, because the number of peas or germs is greater 
in the same measure of small ones. The large marrow¬ 
fats, for instance, are double the size of some others. 
From three to four bushels of seed per acre is the quan¬ 
tity usually sown. 
The covering of the seed is best performed by a small 
plow, or by a set of small plows in a frame, called a 
“ gang-plow.” It is difficult to bury peas with a har¬ 
row, many being always left on the surface, where it is 
attempted. A depth of about two inches is the proper 
one for covering. A good way is to pass the harrow 
over the field after the peas are sown, which will pre¬ 
vent them from rolling into rows or bunches, and then 
plow them in with a shallow furrow. The varieties 
adapted to field culture are the Canada field pea, the 
marrow-fat, and the black-eyed pea. The yield on good 
soil is from thirty to forty bushels per acre. 
Garden peas, or those for early marketing, should be 
put in the ground as early as possible. Select warm, 
dry ground—it can hardly be too dry for early peas— 
and deposit the seed either in rows or broad-cast, as 
soon as the frost is out. The earliest varieties are the 
Early Washington, Cedo Nulli, and Prince Albert. 
To destroy the pea weevil, ( Bruchus pisa ) which 
is so troublesome, immerse the peas in water, boiling 
hot, for two minutes; then take them out and mix plas¬ 
ter, dry ashes, or air-slacked lime with them, till they 
will readily separate in sowing or planting. No fears 
need be entertained that the hot water will prevent the 
peas from vegetating—not one in twenty will be hurt 
at all. . 
BARLEY. 
This grain is cultivated in some sections of this coun¬ 
try to advantage. It is not, however, very extensively 
grown. The reason probably is, that on good land for 
wheat, as much of that grain can be produced per acre, 
and with no more labor than is required for barley. 
Still there are some soils and situations not well adapted 
to wheat, which will produce good crops of barley. 
Barley furnishes an excellent food when ground into 
meal, for fattening swine and cattle, or feeding milch 
cows, and the whole grain is the best of food for feed¬ 
ing poultry. The meal also makes bread which is used 
extensively in some countries, and is well relished by 
those who are accustomed to its use. In this country, 
however, its culinary use is chiefly for making warm 
cakes, similar to those of buckwheat, for which it is 
highly prized by those who have tried it. The grain, 
when divested of its husk, forms the pearl barley of the 
shops, so much esteemed for soups and broths. 
In nutritive properties, barley, as compared with 
wheat, is stated by C. Johnson, in the Farmers’ Ency¬ 
clopedia, as follows: Nutritive matter . 
100 parts wheat yield of.. 78 
100 parts barley,... 65 
The principal purpose, however, to which barley is 
appropriated, both in this country and Britain, is the 
making of malt for beer, ale, &c., a purpose for which 
it is superior to any other kind of grain. After having 
been passed through the malting process, the * grains” 
are used for feeding animals. They are much used in 
the neighborhood of cities, for feeding milch cows 
