INDIANA FARMER.
Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture! Dtcclianics and tlie  Useful Arts.
"■\1!?%7eY.^dli?rs'™l,'\  RICHMOND, September 1, 1855.   \^„rix.c^P:^2i:
HINTS OX WHEAT GROWING.
The vast importance of the Wheat crop,
not only to the farmers of Indiana and the
west generally, but to tho whole civilized
■world, is our only apology for so often bringing thc subject before our readers. Preparations are already being made for putting into
the ground the germ, from which is to spring,
with thc blessings of a kind Providence, tho
staff of life foranother year, and if ourYeeble
efforts could be the means of increasing, in
the most minute degree, tho product of the
next harvest, our labor will not be in vain.—
Nor shall we be particular to present no facts
or arguments which we have* heretofore given on the subject, considering some of these
of sufficient value to be told a-jain and a-jain.
In making preparations for a crop of wheat,
there are four great enemies to be considered,
viz: the Fly, the Midge, the Rust, and the
Winter Kill, and between all these, we are
bound, in the present state of our knowledge,
now and then to lose the greater part ofa crop,
and always to be tho losers by some one or
more of them.
With regard to the first it has long been our
worst enemy, nor do wo see any signs of its
ravages being abated; for never has our wheat
crop suffered ever so severely from its unwearying foe, as the past season. Some have
entertained tho opinion, that like somo other
species of the insect race it would have its
day and then disappear. But that this will be,
the country over, we have little or no hope,
and wo are afraid it is not even trueof localities. If it were, Indiana might reasonably
expect a little respite. Various plan3 have
been suggested with an eye to its eradication,
or extinction, but we certainly regard all such
labors as utterly futile. We are bound in
reason to expect it, at least for many years to
come, and must therefore do what we can to
save our wheat from its ravages. In what
way then, shall we best accomplish this end?
Early sowing and late sowing have both been
tried with very little effect. They cannot be
relied on. Poor land and rich ars alike uncertain, even a heavy coat of manure, which
was once thought almost proof against tho
fly, has.upmetimes entirely failed to have any"
such beneficial effect. _ We belie vpitis^,r"etty
well established, at least it is so in our mind,
that there is no certainty in any thing we can
'do to save our wheat from the fly, but by
sowing a hardy variety, ono that has been
well tested and found to be of this character.
And among the many varieties of wheat now
grown in this country, thero arc but four that
can be relied on. Among these, the bearded
Mediterranean is the foremost: we have never
known it injured by the fly, and havo yet to
see a well authenticated statement to this effect.
It can ctrtainly be relied on. And where the
fly is feared, (and where is it not?) wo have no
hesitation in advising farmers to sow of it
liberally. We would think it best, however,
to sow one or two other hardy kinds, and so
far as our experience goes, what is known
here as the bald Mediterranean stands next
on tho list; wc havo never known it injured by
tho fly, and it has tho reputation of yielding
better than tho bearded. These two kinds
have been grown extensively, for tho last year
or two, and have stood unmolested amid the
general devastation. We cannot but think
that, in the present uncertain condition of the
wheat-growing business, it is better not to
sow, extensively at least, of any varieties but
such as are fly-proof, or nearly so; thinking
it better to have a full crop of an inferior grain,
than to run any great risk with better kinds.
With regard to the Midge, or milk-wccvil,
and thc Rust, th-ere has, as yet" been found
no better remedy, or rather prevention, than
to sow the earliest ripening varieties, and to
use every means to hasten the time of the
manuring of the crop. These are to manure
liberally, sow early, and on a dry gravelly soil.
The midge as yet has done but little injury in
Indiana, but has been here for at least two
years, and wc may expect it, one of these
years, to take hold in good earnest. It is
wise, therefore, to prepare in time, to give it
as favorable a reception as possible. The
bearded Mediterranean wheat is tho only variety, which so far as we know, has at all times
and places withstood its ravages. We "have
often noticed statements to tho effect that all
kinds had suffered from tho midge, with this
exception only.    Other kinds are little injur-