A VALUABLE NEW WHEAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1590, 22 June 1887, Page 3

A VALUABLE NEW WHEAT.

"SOHOLEY'S fcQDARE-HEAD."

It was discovered growing m a small garden wheat plot Borne dozen miles from here and proposed by the discoverer until he had a little to Bell, when a friend of mino, residing m this township, purchased some, and sowed it m the autumn of 1867 ; and the following harvest reaped a crop which produced the extraordinary yield of rather over eighty-one bushels (631 b) per Btatute acre throughout the field ; which he had re-surveyed, thoreby assuring himself that there was no more acreage m the field than it was gaid to be, and this yield was realised on the new survey. It was from the produce of this crop of rather over ten quarters and one bushel per acre of 1868 that I obtained my seed, and during five of the six succeeding years I made experiments with it against — m each year— from two to five other vaiietios, tho best I could obtain, either from London, Edinburgh, or the South of England, from one of which localities I had, annually, for some yerrs bought fresh seed until 1 got hold ct the Square-head. .Theeo experiments were conducted with the greatest fairness and impartiality, measured seed and measured ground, and the quality and condition of tho land as unvaried as possible. In the autumn o£ 1873 I wrote to on© of the moßt eminent seod firms m London for four of tho most prolific vaiietiea they knew, at the same time informing them that I wanted the wheat for the purpose of testing them against tho Square head. Tho kinds they sent mo were the Kessingland Bed, Rough Chaffed White, Hunter's White, and Golden Drop. In vhe course of our correspondence the firm wrote,. 'We regret you cannot wait a few days, so that we might get you some Browick Rod, a variety becoming every year moro and more m favor with wheat growers-.' I had, however, the aamo reason already obtained Browick Ked from a loading firm m Edinburgh, tor the purpose above named ; and I may here stato that I grew tho Browiok Bed and tho bquae-head m close proximity for five years, and that tho lattor boat the former on each occasion. In 1873 the Square-head beat the Browick by 6641 b., oi rather ovor 10£ buahe.'s (of 031 b.) per Btatnto acre. . . In the previous year it had'tfcaten the Bamo variety to a ! still greater extent, »nd m 1874 it not only again beat the Browick, but every other of the five varieties (one of whioh was the late Mr George Hopo's well-known Ponton wheat) that were put m competition with it. Feeling sure that the wheat would becomo a favorite with growers, I under, took the work of selecting parent oars and propagating their produce, and have, asbieted by my son, and the most intelligent of my workmen, devoted many years to its improvement by using tho utmost oare throughout each succeeding season -j and I have for several years supplied my patrons with Beed- from tho produeo of repeated selections from the stock of one magnificent ear, from which nearly the Whole of the Square headed wheat m cultivation is descended . DESOIUETJ.ON. Thle wheat possesses m an extraordinary degree the property of being able to Btand ereot during the months of July and August, when moot other kindl get 'laid' (and consequently auffar greatly both m yield and qaality), which fin & matter of great importance on well-farmed land, where large orops of straw are produced ; and to thh excellent qualification, oombined with the sloguhrly uniform filling of a n,ofc extraordinarily long ear

—but one that is wide and exceedingly well developed both at top and bottom, where most otter varieties exhibit great' deficiency — is to be attributed the success of thin very superior wheat. Straw varies m length from 4ft 3ln to sft, according to tho quality and condition of the soil. Cattle like it aa wel 1 as the straw cf any other wheat, and as It stands bo well (for, an one of my Scotch customera observes, 'It will soarcely go down '), It retains ita brightnets and quality. After torn yoars' experience w.ti a self-binding harvester.. I j feel qrite ceitaiu there ia no o her wheat I grown that inconsequence of its keeping ao erpct, is ao conveniently reaped by «fcU-Mvw!tu\g macbluaty, wh'oh ia evory year becoming moie und more m favor with agriculturists. The spikeieta of this wheat sand very olobo together, whloh In the early stages of ita cultivation caused aotno growers to think it might hold wet, and consequently not dry bo quickly after rain m harvest a* thinner Bet varieties ; but after several years' experience of it m seasons more or less wefc and unfavorable, I find it to be quite as hardy cs other kinds; and I may here mention the fact that m the I veiy ' cvtohing ' barvc3t weathor of 1872 1 had tho Square-head' and another variety In stock together m the Bt'me field, and although the ialtor was much sprouted and di.-co'ored, I could not say, even after several close examinations, that the Square-head had a sprout m It, except m tho ears whioh woro laid on the ground amongst tho young seeda with which the field wos sowo. • On being broken, the grains of this wheat will be found to contain a veiy superior quality of flour. Millers like it very ranch, aa it ' breaks ' fully up to expectation. Ihave also recently made experiment* with severe 1 new- and highly recommaaded , varieties, but found none of them to equal the Squai'e-hoad, whioh result appears to be the experience of many of my oustomera, if I may jadgo by tho great amount of testimony 1 rec ive annually. I c\n give yod no exact s f ithtica bb to the acreage now sown with Squaie-headed wheat, but know that many thousands of aoreß of it are now annually grown, and that oar ordera thii Berson, notwithstanding the great depres ion m agricultural matt 31 ■, are greatly ii excors of j-™t Bea« sons. Thare is not a county m England into which I have not sent this wheat, 1 asid'i a gioat many m Wall's, Scotland, and Ireland, and on tbe continents of Europe, America, and Australia, This wheat ripens early, and, as the grain ia bold and heavy, it H advisable to cut it when the Bti\iw Is rather greer. When the ear and about two feet of the upper pirt of the Btem havt> r-sum.d a golden hue, tho. whe^t may be cat with safety, It is then, I think, m the very beat condition for being harvested. — T. O, Soholey, E.»a,toft Grange, Goole, Yorkshire, November 10th.