A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHEAT.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1072, 13 August 1883, Page 3

A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHEAT.

[San Francisco Weekly Chronicle .] We frequently hear J he expression in regard to a certain variety of wheat. It has run out.” There is no question about the fact that a variety of wheat, grown continuously for years on the same soil, unless that soil has been kept up to i s original slate by supplying the ingredients necessary to grow a crop of wheat will deteriorate, or appear to do so ; but it that same wheat is sown inja new locality, in a different and unexhausted soil, the grain will show all of its former excellence ; and if the old land upon which the wheat appeared to run out is allowed to rest, or is improved and renovated, the *same variety of wheat will again mature upon it in perfection. These tests and facts seem to say that the wheat “ has not run out,” but that the land had “run out,” though D. R. Curtis, of Washington,

D.C., says that wheat will unquestionably deteriorate if too long ami continuously grown on the same land. Now, the producing improved varieties of wheat by the pedigree system, as thoroughbred horses and entile arc produced,'is-a proud and profitable operation For farm rs to accomplish,, and which tliej’ can do v tv easily’ with a little thought and care in this way :—From sumo variety of wheat select the best heads at the sides of the field fimn stalks where the largest number have stooled out from one seed ; let them stand to ripen i perfectly—r-as .we believe all wheat intended ■shbuld'be .left ; gather and thresh by band ; preserve The seed of these heads for next season ; sow it, and again select the longest, plumpest, earliest heads from stalks tillered out with the largest number of stalks ; gather and -preserve as bofoie ; then again plant and select as done the previous season, and so on year after year, and soon an early, superior, hardy, heavy variety of wheat will be the tesult, making a worthy pedigree wheat. This has frequently been done, and of course can be done again. Fortunately—for wheat is the universal bread crop of civilised communities—wheat seems to beadapted really to all soils and localities where man makes a home ; in fact, wheat succeeds to a greater or less extent in nearly every region, from the equator to the frigid zone ; therefore wheat in all countries is considered, and correctly, too, the first crop, and consequently the tiller of the soil who produces a superior A'ariely/or gives his fellowproducers any information that will enable them to increase the crop in quantity and given better quality is entitled, to great credit. Wheat being such an important crop, more care should be observed in its production, and greater efforts should bo put forth towards improvement. The pecuniary point in this direction should be a sufficient inducement, but it 'does not appear to be, and our wheat-growers seem to be content with an ordinary quality and a moderate yield. Not enough attention is given to the preparation of the land to be planted to wheat, and certainly very’ little, if any 7 , attention is given to the preparation of the seed to be sown. Our advice is to leave a certain part of the wheat uncut in the field, so much ns may be needed for seed, until it is perfectly sound and well ripened. The following season do not sow the seed just as it comes from the machine, but clean it until all the small seeds, broken kernels, weed seed, chaff, and in fact all foul stuff is removed ; and then the wheat should be stirred up and mixed with a quantity of dry lime. By this means yon will clean the w’heat from smut and mildew, insect eggs will be killed, and the wheat thus soaked and prepared will germinate sooner and more evenly, and when up will grow more rankly and be less liable to injury and insure you a better crop.