PRACTICAL PAPERS—WHEAT CULTURE. 
249 
indefinitely. I will say that, so far as I have been able to ob-* 
serve, it is the uniform testimony of all articles upon the sub¬ 
ject, in the books and periodicals I have consulted—and I do 
* not think that any one has escaped my notice—that the wide¬ 
spread deterioration in the yield and quality of wheat is due, 
and due alone, to imperfect methods of culture. Indeed, I am 
astonished, both at this unanimity of testimony, and at the 
fact that there is still doubt in the minds of any, when the 
proofs are so numerous and so conspicuous. 
I will close this already too lengthy article by presenting the 
opinions of our recent, and of our new Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture. Commissioner Watts, in his monthly report for No¬ 
vember and December last, says : 
“ We must resolutely face the fact that the the cause of the failure is to 
he found in the farmer’s want of skill, and inquire how this skill may he im¬ 
proved.” 
Commissioner Capron, in the report for 1868, says : 
“ If wheat plantations may still predominate, heyond the Mississippi and 
Missouri, there is no excuse for failing to inaugurate a complete system of 
American agriculture in Illinois and the more eastern states, which shall 
he self-sustaining and tending constantly to increase of production and 
profit. The evil tendency of slip-shod culture and neglect, has often been 
shown in the rapid decrease of yield and reduction in quality. * * * * 
The fault is not inherent either in soil or climate. It is fully accounted for 
hy the deficient preparation of the seed bed, rank growth of grass or weeds, 
and neglect of that systematic variety in cropping necessary for the preser¬ 
vation of a proper equilibrium in the elements entering into the production 
of wheat.” 
I will simply add that, the causes of failure being recognized, 
the conditions of success become obvious. They have already 
been discovered. When these conditions shall be so fully es¬ 
tablished here as they already are in England, there cannot be 
the slightest doubt that, so far as the yield is concerned, the 
success of former days will return. 
