Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 135 
er, under favorable circumstances, the bugs multiply with great 
rapidity, so that a few days difference in the time of ripening will 
expose the latter piece to greater risks than are borne by the earl¬ 
ier one. This points to the importance of early sowing and plant¬ 
ing in order to secure early harvests, and this, not only on account 
of the bugs, but because of rust and other evils. 
I planted several varieties of corn with the view of testing their 
comparative productiveness. The whole was injured by the bugs 
to such an extent as to seriously modify the value of the experi¬ 
ment, but I found that the best pieces were the earliest ones of their 
kind, simply because they ripened out of their way. The flint vari¬ 
eties, though early, were more seriously injured because of their 
softer foliage. This points also to the selection of early varieties for 
seed. It would at once condemn the Odessa wheat, which, with us, 
is several days later than the Rio Grande varieties. It would still 
more forcibly point to the introduction of winter wheat in all lo¬ 
calities where it may be successfully raised. 
There is no doubt but that the area sown to winter wheat is rap¬ 
idly increasing in this state. There are many inducements for its 
culture. It can be sown at a time which relieves the great pressure 
of work which we sometimes have in an unfavorable spring, and 
the same in harvest. Mine is always securely stacked before the 
cutting of spring grain begins. This is an important item, for with 
the hot weather, the bugs and the rust, we have had of late years 
but two or three days, at the out-side, in which our cutting ought 
all to be done. We may sow grain two weeks apart in the spring, 
but it will hardly make two days difference in the time of harvest¬ 
ing. The latter piece will be assailed by something which will 
drive it in upon us before we are ready for it. 
The past season was a very severe one for winter grain. Many 
pieces which were sown late were ruined. Men expressed them¬ 
selves as discouraged with it in the early part of the season, but be¬ 
fore harvest the same men said that it was their only chance for 
wheat. Many men who are raising it, now say that if they should 
lose it every second year it would still pay them better than the 
average of spring wheat. The report from the University farm 
will confirm this view. It is often said, that in the Baraboo tim¬ 
ber we have land exceptionally favorable for this grain. This may 
