459 
of tillage. One principal cause of this abandonment of wheat has been the 
diminished yield, an acre only returning twelve to fifteen bushels, or even less; 
another is the frequent destruction, or at least material injury to the crop, by 
the ravages of insects, by rust, &c. 
The former productiveness of the soil would seem to indicate that this defi¬ 
ciency of yield is owing to the exhaustion of some material element by over¬ 
cropping. Deep ploughing will restore the soil in some degree, by bringing 
up that which has not been reached by the roots of the plants; but nothing 
short of a full restoration from year to year of the exhausted elements, what¬ 
ever they be, will render the yield of wheat permanent and reliable. 
Next to rice, wheat sustains more of the human family tl^n any other 
grain; and in many respects it is the most valuable. The best varieties are 
those that, though small in berry, are fresh, plump, thin skinned, and bright? 
slipping through the fingers readily. 
Sir John Richardson found wheat cultivated in the “ fur countries,” as far 
north as Fort Laird (latitude 60° 5’), where, however, the grain does not ripen 
perfectly every year.* 
Analysis of wheat of the State of New York; from Emmons' Agriculture 
of New York, vol. 2, pp. 144—153: 
Winter 
'wheat, 
grain. 
Spring 
wheat, 
grain. 
Straw. 
/ 
Chaff. 
Silica. 
3.525 
4.240 
49.100 
80.60 
Silicic acid... 
1.700 
Phosphates. 
60.725 
67.440 
19.600 
8.80 
Carbonate of lime.. 
4.70 
Lime... .* . 
0.050 ? 
0 020 ^ 
3.460 
Magnesia.. 
2.880 5 
»\324 
Potash. 
7.180 
14.720 C 
22.245 t 
1.80 
Soda. 
16.920 
3.356 
5.195 
3.20 
Sodium.. 
0.195 
Chlorine. 
0.295 
none 
0.121 
a trace 
Sulphuric acid. 
0.895 
0.544 
0.876 
1.21 
Organic acids......... 
2.400 
flnrhonie, acid___ 
not detrmd 
Organic matter... 
8.480 
Loss ... __........__ ..... 
3.235 
1.200 
100.000 
100.000 
100.921 
100.31 
* Arctic Searching Expedition, p. 410. 
