than formerly. It is grown somewhat extensively in portions of Canada. In the United States the area devoted to this crop is one-sixth that of barley, about one-third that of rye and equal to the combined acreage of rice and sorghum grown for its seed. While a secondary crop, its place in the agriculture in the sections where it is grown is more important than the statistics would indicate. New York and Pennsylvania produced twothirds, and, with Michigan, Wisconsin and Maine, produced more than four-fifths of the crop in 1899. The production has not changed materially in the past twenty-five years, although in 1860 the production was somewhat greater. In 1899 about 200,000 farms reported an average of about four acres each. There is a small importation of buckwheat from Canada; there is no export of either grain or flour. 587. Yield per Acre.-The harvested crop may vary in yield from five to fifty bushels, thirty bushels per acre being considered a rather large yield, and twenty to twenty-five bushels being considered satisfactory. The average yield in the United States in 1899 was, according to the census, fourteen bushels. The average yield for the ten years ending 1903, according to the estimates of the United States Department of Agriculture, was eighteen bushels per acre; the average December farm price per bushel for the same period was fifty-two cents. 588. History.-Although buckwheat is known to have been cultivated in China for 1,000 years, its cultivation is not believed to be very ancient. It was introduced into Europe in the Middle Ages, being unknown to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. It was introduced early into the American Colonies, having been relatively much more important than at the present time. Formerly it was chiefly used as a substitute for wheat; now it is used as a luxury, although in many farm homes in Pennsylvania and New York buckwheat cakes constitute the principal bread food during the winter months. Practicums. 589. DESCRIPTION OF BUCKWHEAT.-Give each student typical plants of two or more varieties: I. Height of stem 5. Number of grains: number per seed cluster Color of grain: light gray; medium gray; dark gray; brown; black. 6. Plumpness of grain: plump; medium; shrunken. 7. Width: average of twenty-five grains average of twenty-five hulls 10. Volume weight: weight per bushel by weighing one pint. II. Specific gravity: use picnometer. (203) 590. RELATION OF BUCKWHEAT TO SOIL MOISTURE.-Having selected a soil, determine the amount of water it will hold when completely saturated. Fill sixteen three-gallon jars with this soil and determine the percentage of moisture in the soil. Sow buckwheat in four jars with sufficient water to fully saturate the soil; to four jars add three-fourths this amount of water; to four jars add one-half this amount, and to four jars one-fourth this amount. By weighing the jars, maintain the amount of water in them as indicated. At the end of three, six and nine weeks remove the plants from one jar in each of the series; determine their fresh weight and the weight of water-free substance and add sufficient water to the remaining jars to make up for the water of the plants. When the plants have ripened, determine the weight of grain and straw in each of the remaining jars. |