1805.] Or Siberian Wheat. 304

in tbe culture of grain, previous.to my offering any remarks on the extraordinary facts he has communicated.

In your 6gtb Number, 1 stated Some objections to the culture of Siberian wbeat, not only ou account of. its flinty and unprolific nature, but also on account of its producing considerably less Straw than some otber Species."This want of Straw ts, as your correspondent justly observes, character- iStiC of all rath-ripe, or early corn. He mentions it, there- fore, as an“ extraordinary" ciwcumstance, bat last Spring he“had two crops of wheat, the one of the common red lammas, and the other Siberian; the latter of which is more than double the bulk in the grass, although they were both drilled on the Same day.(March 24,) five pecks to an. acre,* ibe Siberian rather too thick upon the ground; the Soll a ztrong, damp, clayey Joam, manured with red Sand three years Since."

From the wantof a glossary, andfrom the vague nomen- clature of farmers, perbaps a variety of wheat which is known by the name of red /ammas in one district, may be different from that which'is distinguished by the. Same name in other parts-of Ihe country, Common red lammas wheat, however, is considered by many farmers as a variety yielding pretty abundantly of straw. Now as the variety of Siberian wheat which Clerzcus et Colonus. cultivated last. Spring Seems to have afforded grounds for expecting more Straw from it than from the red lammas, it is probably a valuable variety, 1 Shall, therefore, be much ooliged to him, if he will do me the favour of communicating farther information, through the medium of your very useful Miscel- lany. This request he will the more readily excuse, when be considers, that notwithstanding the disadvantages of cli- mate, we cultivate vast quantities of Spring wheat. in this district; that from it we generally raise from 31. to 3l. per acre more than from barley; that we often suffer heavily fzom the equinoctial winds; and that the culture of Spring wheat would be extended, if we could obtain a variety that would not only ripen very early, butat the Same time pro- duce abundant quantities of good grain and Straw. Great quantities of the latter article are indispensable in this dis» trict; for most of oyr Soils are naturally 50 infertile, that the most ruinogus consequences would ensue fromneglecting to raisge cCopious Supplies of dung. Your correspondent, is doubtless acquainted with the reply of Cato, when he was

* A peck is one thing in 50me parts of the country, and a different measure

in another. In our communications, therefore, we had better aghere to the ziandard Winchester bushel, of 52 quarts.

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