The most valuable grain is wheat, and it has been so since the earliest period to which history reaches. This grain now constitutes the chief food of the British na tion; and its abundance or scarcity regulates, in a great measure, the welfare and prosperity of the inhabitants. Notwithstanding its manifest utility as a necessary of life, and its importance to the farmer, as being the arti cle from which rent in many districts is altogether paid, landed proprietors have, in numerous instances, attempt ed to interdict its culture, or, at least, they have stu diously endeavoured to lessen the quantity cultivated, by restrictions or penalties upon the grower, if a cer tain stipulated quantity was exceeded in any one year; and more particularly, if that quantity was exceeded in the latter years of a lease. Whether proprietors acting in this way were moved by wise and useful reasons, needs no inquiry ; because it is evident, that the great er the value of produce raised upon a farm, so much more rent is the farmer enabled to pay the proprietor; and though this increased rent may be delayed for a few years, namely, to the end of the current lease, the pro prietor is sure to obtain it at that period. Proprietors, however, have hitherto thought differently, and their errors have been sanctioned by the courts of law, who have not been slow in punishing farmers, considered by them as deviators from the rules of good husbandry. Notwithstanding the impediments ill the way, both legal and conventional, the culture of wheat has of late pro digiously increased, and now constitutes a prominent branch of British husbandry. Landed proprietors, it is believed, are now almost satisfied, that the growth of this grain does not deteriorate or waste their lands, though formerly not a few of them thought that the vegetative powers of their estates might be sold in the public market in.the shape of IN licat,—an idea hand ed down from father to son for successive genera dons, though now in some measure renounced and aban doned.
As wheat is the most valuable grain cultivated in the British isles, we shall treat of the several processes connected with its culture in a more particular manner than may afterwards be required, when other grains occupy our attention. We shall first speak of the soils best adapted to the growth of wheat; 2. Of the cul ture required for that grain; 3. Of the varieties of seed; 4. of the way in which it is sown; 5. Of pick ling the seed, so that it may be preserved from be ing smutted or blacked; 6. Of the diseases to which wheat is liable in different stages ; 7. Of harvest ma nagement; S. Of thrashing the grain, and preparing it for market.
1. On the Soils best adapted for the Growth of Wheat.
—Rich clays and heavy foams are naturally well calcu lated for producing wheat; but any kind of clay and loamy soil, situated in a proper climate, may be artifi cially adapted to the growth of that grain, by enriching it with a sufficient quantity of manure. On soils of the first description, wheat may be cultivated almost every second year, provided due care is taken to keep the land clean, and in good condition. A summer fallow once in four, six, or eight years, according to seasons and circumstances, is, however, necessary ; and manure should either be applied on that fallow for the first crop of wheat, or, what some people think preferable, should be laid on the wheat stubble for a crop of drilled beans, which ensures the succeeding crop of wheat. If the first
crep of beans has been completely cleaned, there is no difficulty of near tting, and even of extending the course ; and the crops will be little inferior to those gained at the beginning of the rotation, provided manure has been bestowed to each crop of beans. this way, when the ground is fallowed every fourth year, two crops of wheat and one of beans are gained from manuring once; When Mowed every sixth year, three crops of wheat and two of beans are gained Iron, manuring to ire; and, v. hen fa:• lowed every eighth y ear, four crops of wheat, and thr( of beans, from manuring thrice. In the first-mentioned shift, less manure is bestowed than in anv of the r two; and if the soil is of good quality it '0 ill support it self; whereas, in the shifts of six and eight, miles.; l'ore i;211 manure is procured, it rarely that they can go on successfully for any length of lime, without abstract ing dung from other parts of the Linn on which they are practised.
With regard to thin clays, the shifts mentioned a:iove arc inapplicable. A six-course shift of a different band has, however, been successfully followed by many peo ple ; but it requires every branch of the work to be well executed. 1. A summer fallow, (lunged at the rate of 12 or 14 double loads per acre ; 2. Wheat; 3. Grass; 4. Oats; 5. Pease and Beans drilled; 6. Wheat. If manure can be given in the middle of the shift, every one of the crops may be expected good ; but if that is withheld, there will necessarily he a proportionable fall ing off in the two last crops. i lusbandmen must, how ever, regulate their practice according to their means; though it deserves to he remarked, that, if greater atten tion were paid to the collecting of materials, which ulti mately are converted into manure, many deficiencies in the article would be fully supplied.
Light soils, though they yr ill, with the exception of soft sands, produce wheat of excellent quality, are not constitutionally disposed to the growth of that grain; nor will they, under any management, bear such a fre quent repetition of it as those already mentioned. Sum mer fallow on them may safely be dispensed with; be cause a crop of turnips, which admits every branch of the cleaning process to he more perfectly executed than even a naked or bare fallow does, may be profitably substituted. Wheat here comes in with propriety af ter turnips, though, in general cases, it noist be sown in the spring months, unless the turnips are stored ; in which case, it may be sown in November; or it may he sown after clover, for the fourth crop of the rotation ; or in the sixth year, as a way-going crop, after drilled pease and beans, if the rotation is extended to that length. But, take it ally way, it is scarcely possible to raise wheat so extensively upon light soils, even where they are of the richest quality, as is practicable upon clays ; nor will a crop of equal bulk upon the one, return so much pro duce in grain as may be got from the other. To enlarge upon this point would only serve to prove what few bandmen will dispute, though, it may' be added, that, on real sands, wheat ought not to be ventured, unless they arc either completely clayed or marled, as it is only with the help of these auxiliaries that such a soil can gain stamina capable of producing wheat with any degree of success.