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THft SOUmatN WORLD, JtJftE 1, 1882,
1
mlttee, the following named gentlemen:
Col. John M. Meek, of JefTerson; J. Q. A.
Remine, of Greene; and W. S. Taylor, of
Hamblen.
"How to make the greatest yield of wheat
per acre," was the subject of a paper by Col.
John M. Meek. (It appears elsewhere in
the Southern Would.)
Col. J. B. Stokely was elected President,
and John M. Meek, Secretary.
Knoxville was selected as the place and
Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in
May 1883, as the time for the next meeting.
The meeting throughout was a success
and great praise is due the Knoxville Trib
une, and Col. C. W. Charlton, for their un
tiring efforts. We have given a brief epit
ome of the proceedings; of some of the re
ports we will write you more. Be assured
East Tennessee is grateful to the Southern
World for its kindly interest in behalf of
our convention and section.
Mow to Make the Greatest Yield of
Wheat to the Acre.
Essay by Col. John M. Meek, of Strawberry Plains,
Tennessee, Secretary of the East Tennessee Parment’
Convention, read before that body at Its session In
Knoxville, May Dtb, last
It is presumed that the purpose of the
foregoing inquiry is not to develop how a
single acre of ground may be stimulated to
its maximum yield of wheat, but to demon
strate practically if possible, by what means
or process of handling, we os farmers, may
bring up the yield of wheat per acre upon
our already depleted fields, to its maximum
point, at a cost of production which will
leave a reasonable margin for profit, and at
the same time leave our fields in a condition
to grow a remunerating crop of any other
farm product. Theories and suggestions are
valuable only when it is possible to practi
cally supply them on the farm, or after they
have been actually tested und proved sus
ceptible of profitable application.
This requires years of valuable time in
patient and intelligent labor. The timeand
labor occupied in making these experimen
tal tests, to say nothing of the cost in money,
is frequently lost, us the theory may be
proved barren of practical and profitable
susceptibilities. The average farmer can
not make these costly experiments in testing
the various theories presenting themselves
for solution, by methods sometimes known
only to science, and by men acquainted with
the scientific means to be used in their de
monstration.
Agricultural and organic chemistry holds
the keys that alone will unlock the doors to
the many hidden avenues to nature’s vast
laboratory, from which are evolved the life
producing elements sustaining the organic
and animate universe.
These avenues have been exploded and the
results given to the agricultural world, by
the labors and research of such benefactors
of their race us Justus Von Liebig, of Ger
many, and Drs. J. B. Lawcs and Gilbert, of
Kothamstead, England.
These with men of less note, both in our
own country and Europe, in the same line
of research, have lifted agriculture from the
ruts of hopeless, aimless and ignorant toil
and placed it upon the plane of intelligence,
where scientific knowledge, not brute force,
constitute the elements of success in the
cultivation of our fields and beautifying our
homes.
How very important indeed then is it that
farmersshould be men of research, acquiring
useful information, by availing themselves
of all the means within their reach neces
sary to insure success, and lighten and ren
der attractive labor on the farm. This
brings us now to the immediate discussion
of the topic under consideration.
All crops do not require the same ele
ments in their production, nor do they re
quire the same kind or amount of cultiva
tion. If we set out to grow a certain kind
of crop intelligent inquiry will teach us
that the first step is to find out what are the
constituent elements and necessary environ
ments of the crop proposed to be grown.
The next step ’will be to know if the
ground upon which it is to be grown is sup
plied with a sufficiency of these necessary
elements. It not, then they must be sup
plied.
We are then ready to proceed with the
preparation of the ground for the seed as
well as also as the seed for the ground. The
topio has given us wheat as the crop upon
which we are to make the effort to demon
strate the possibility of a maximum yield.
Wheat is the most valuable and healthful
of the bread producing cereals, and is culti
vated on a wider range of latitude than any
other. It has been cultivated from the earli
est ages, and was a chief crop in ancient
Egypt and Palestine. We are all familiar
with the history of the Egyptian famine In
which Joseph and his brethren appeared as
chief actors, in which also the barns of Pha-
roah were filled with wheat sufficient to feed
the people during the seven years of famine.
Though during the 17th century it was cul
tivated only to a limited extent in England,
so much so that the wealthier classes had
wheat bread only once a year, and that was
on Christmas.
With this as prefatory, we proceed to con
sider the proposition given for discussion.
Upon the unworn and virgin soils of the
Northwest, as well as the Southwest, the
question iseasy of solution, fertility not be
ing a factor, but preparing the ground, time
and manner of seeding with variety of seed
being the important points to consider.
With us, upon our exhausted lands, the
question assumes a far wider scope of in
quiry, there being but two elements of suc
cess easy of access within the reach of all.
These are climate and natural adaptability
and drainage. Fertility must be supplied
by either natural or artificial means, and in
our choice of these means we should be gov
erned by the cost, and permanency of re
sults attained in increasing the fertility of
our fields. My practical information in
regard to the application of artificial ma
nures, is limited to my own observation,
and the experience and observations
of others who have used them. And accord
ing to my own judgment this does not jus
tify us in their extended or extensive use
only in exceptional cases. Large numbers
of those using them report unsatisfactory re
sults, both as to permanent increased fertil
ity of their land and yields of wheat.
Though many, and among them those in
terested in the sale of commercial manures,
report satisfactory results, a little common
sense in the consideration of this phase of
the question will teach us some valuable
facts. In the purchase of commercial ma
nures the wheat market becomes an im-
portant factor.
The freights paid on the wheat and ferti
lizer are to be looked after. Who pays the
freight upon wheat shipped from points
along our line of railroad? We all know
that the freight is taken from the price of
the wheat in the hands of the producer.
Who then pays the freight upon the com
mercial fertilizer shipped from the manu
facturer and sold by agents to the farmers
all over the country ? Does the same rule
upply to the producer of fertilizers that is
applied to the producer of wheat ? Certain
ly not. Every one knows that the freight is
added to the price per ton, which is paid by
the farmer to whom it is sold. So that we
see the farmer in paying for his commercial
fertilizer with his wheat, has to pay the
freight upon his wheat to market and, also
the freight upon the fertilizer laid down at
the same point from which his wheat was
shipped. In addition to this he has the
heavy risk of purchasing a bogus article ab
solutely worthless; for many of the commer
cial fertilizers on the market are of this
character. Now the question ai ises, can the
farmer foot all these bills out of his wheat
crop and take the risk of being swindled in
the fertilizer, and have sufficient margin left
to clothe, feed and educate his family, and
make his home what our Christian civiliza
tion demands it should be ? I unhesitating
ly and emphatically answer he can not do it.
I can not do it upon my lands and they are
much better than the average uplands of
East Tennessee.
We can not then depend upon artificial
means for a permanent increased production
of wheat per acre, which will leave a margin
of remunerative profit to the producer. Our
help must come from natural resources
aided by intelligent rotation of crops of
grains and grasses, and especially of red
clover.
And we repeat, especially is the cultiva
tion of red clover for at least two years (tlyee
is better), previous, the best preparation
for wheat, with the addition of all the barn
yard manure available, on the poorest
places.
Other grasses, with the grazing of sheep
and cattle, will attain the same results,
though perhaps not so soon. Red clover is
the only grass known to the writer that will
clothe and feed our families, and at the
same time increase the fertility of the lands
upon which it is grown.
By a proper and persistent rotation of
crop with red clover as the principal, lands
producing only from 5 to 7 bushels of wheat
to the acre, may within from two to three
years be made to yield from fifteen to
twenty-five bushels of No. 1 wheat per acre.
This is no theory; I have accomplished
this result upon my own farm, and some of
my neighboring farmers have done the same
thing, and what we have done others may
do without the aid of commercial fertilizers
and with better permanent results. Chem
istry informs us that there are only thir
teen substances that enter into the formation
of agricultural plants. These are potassium,
sodium, cslcium, magnesium, iron, carbon,
silicon, sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine, hy
drogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
Of this list, iron, carbon, silicon, oxygen,
and hydrogen, are furnished in sufficient
abundance by nature. Sodium and chlo
rine are found in sufficient quantity in most
soils for ordinary crop.
If more is needed it may be obtained by
the application of two or three bushels of
common salt to the acre. In like manner
the application of plaster will supply the
neoessary calcium and sulphur, directly,
and indirectly, magnesium. It will thus be
seen that nature supplies in abundance ten
of these thirteen chemicals of agriculture.
Or they may be obtained by the application
of salt and plaster. This leaves only three
of these elements to be looked after, namely,
potussium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. But
these are of such vital importance to the
farmer, that without them all his efforts fail,
and successful farming is impossible.
Then we are confronted by the question,
how shall we obtain these three important
elements? The answer to the question 1b
found in the cultivation of Hed Clover. A
small amount of nitrogen combined in the
form of ammonia and the nitrates, is
found in the air, and the average amount
precipitated on the acre yearly by the rains
and snows is only 8.75 lbs. "The nitrogen
in the air in the form of ammonia and the
nitrates is insufficient for a full crop."—
Prof. Kedzil."
While an acre of wheat requires 45.60
pounds, an acre of red clover contains 108
pounds.
Let us see now what is the actual value of
red clover as a mnnuriul agent. An acre of
good clover , will make 5,000 pounds of hay,
containing 282A pounds of mineral matter
or ash. In this ash is found 97 A pounds of
potash, 06 pounds of lime, 'H'A pounds of
magnesia and 28 pounds of phosphoric acid.
The hay will also contain 108 pounds of com
bined nitrogen. This is what may be real
ized from an acre of luxuriant clover plough
ed under, and is also available when a clover
sod is ploughed up after mowing the clover,
for it is found the mower leaves as much
material, both organic and inorganic, as is
taken away in the hay. In two and one-half
tons of clover hay, or in an acre of clover
sod of similar quality, there will be both for
grain and straw, enough phosphoric acid,
for a crop of 34 bushels of wheat, of combin
ed nitrogen for 71 bushels, of potash for 102
bushels, of magnesia for 120 bushels, and of
lime for 270 bushels. In other words, the
clover hay or sod contains enough phos
phoric acid for more than double an aver
age crop, enough nitrogen for more than
four average crops, and potash for more
than six average crops of wheat.
Here then is the answer to the inquiry of
despairing farmers, how shall we restore our
worn out fields and make them produce
their maximum of wheat to the acre. Let
the triple leaf of the red clover become the
emblem of the new gospel of agriculture,
symbolizing to the farmer the trinity of
blessings found in a sufficiency of the three
vital elements of potassium, phosphorus
and nitrogen.
Let us clothe our fields in red clover and
it will be to us the talismanic power that
shall fill our barns and granaries to burst
ing, and establish an era of pastoral happi
ness in which the “pastures will be clothed
with flocks; the valleys also be covered with
corn. They shall shout for joy, they shall
also sing.” The proper preparation of the
ground, which means the time of plowing,
with the time and manner of seeding and
the variety of wheat sown lias very much to
do in determining the yield per acre. The
ploughing if possible should bo done In
July and August and the ground broken to
the depth of eight to twelve inches. The
ground should be prepared for seeding by
the 15th of September, at which time sow
ing should in this latitude begin, and should
be finished by the 15th of October following.
As to the manner of seeding whether (with
drill or broadcast) it does not matter so
much, if it can be distributed evenly by
broadcasting, which is a somewhat difficult
matterand then thoroughly covered. Though
broadcast seeding machines are being man
ufactured extensively, and cost much less
than drills, which are said to do satisfactory
work. 8everal testa have been made be
tween broadcasting and drilling. Every
thing being equal the result has almost in
variably been in favor of broadcasting. Up
to last year I have followed broadcasting
when I purchased a drill and put in the
principal part of my wheat crop with it.
A part of it was sown broadcast and put in
with double shovels and bull tongues, so
that I may be better able to judge of the
relative merits of the two processes of seed
ing. The drill has some points in its favor
though not so many as claimed by its special
advocates With these it should be credited
in a fair comparison. This brings us to the
point of seeding, the methods of which we
have partially discussed.
The variety of wheat ha/also very much to
do in determining the yield. 1 have
attained the best results and highest yields
from the Fultz wheat, and far as my obser
vation extends, this has been the case
throughout the State for the last eight or
ten years. There is no doubt but that the
aggregate yield of wheat in the State of
Tennessee might have been increased from
eleven million bushels to twenty or twenty-
five millions, if our people had selected
the variety of wheat best adapted to our
soil and climate; and my own opinion is
that this is the Fultz or some of the red or
Amber wheats. I am experimenting npw
with German Amber wheat which promises
favorable results.
Having attained the proper variety, it
should be thoroughly cleaned of all the
trash and small grains, and only the large
The result is that nearly all other interests
have received the fostering care of the Gov
ernment, while agriculture has been left
alone to carry the burden and pay the debts
saddled upon it by professional politicians
and insolent monopolies. Who is to blame
for this but those only engaged in agricultu
ral pursuits? Almost forty million of the
population are engaged in agriculture. The
other ten or twelve million are clothed and
fed from the labor of the farm. They also
control the Government and hold all the
offices, assess and collect all the revenues,
and the farmer is satisfied with an occasion
al package of garden seeds, sent to him by
his member in Congress.
Millions of acres of public lands are given
to build railroads, and these in turn are used
to corrupt and control legislation in the in
terests of railroad kings and monopolies, and
these lay tribute upon the productive ener
gies of tlie country, by setting a price upon
everv bushel of grain or head of stock shipped
over their lines to the markets. Had half
the amount of money given by Government
to foster such enterprises been expended in
the' improvement of the navigation of the
Mississippi river and the construction of
sound levees on it and its tributaries the
present calamitous flooding of the Missis
sippi Valley, with its consequent fearful
loss of life and property, might have been
avoided and millions of dollars left in the
pockets of the farmers of the country.
Lack of information among fanners is what
has made such things possible, and they
will continue just so long as farmers choose
to remain in ignorance and in want of prop
er information as to the rights and necessi
ties of the agricultural interests of the
country. Then let me beg farmers every
where to begin at onco to acquire useful
knowledge from books and papers that will
assist in and lighten the labors and burdens
of the farm. Subscribe for agricultuial
journals and purchase agricultural books;
labor intelligently and with the beat lights
attainable. In this way may we expect to
make agriculture wliat It is and ought to be,
the most noble avocation known to men.
The burdens of Government will be in this
way equally distributed, and one class or in
terest will not be taxed to sustain another.
All industries will stand or fall upon its own
merits. All this, and more, may and will
follow from the intelligent cultivation of our
farms. All human Industry demands in
telligence in its direction and control, and
farming, however homely it may sound, de
mands more wisdom and knowledge and
forethought, than all other avocations in or
der to make it successful.
Let us no longer then be satisfied with fur
nishing the mere brute force that feeds the
world; let us furnish our part at least of the
intelligence that shapes the policy and
guides the spirit of progress pulsing through
the years of the nineteenth century.
I may be permitted to say that for
many of the tacts and chemical results given
in this paper in regard to red clover, I am
indebted to a lecture delivered before the
faculty and students of the State Agricul
tural College of Michigan, by R. C. Kedzil,
Professor of Chemistry. This lecture in full
may be found published in the Clover Leafol
February. _
"What shall the harvest bet" Of wheat
and other grain?