The Farmer's Cabinet and American Herd Book, 1(24) : 374 (1837)

Sowing Winter Wheat in Spring

A Suggestion for the Coming Year—A gentleman of high respectability informs us, that the following mode of sowing winter wheat in the spring, has been partially adopted in Tennessee with the happiest success. In early winter the seed grain is put into casks, and water enough added to soak and cover it. It is then exposed so that the water becomes frozen, and it is kept in this state as far as practicable until the soil is fit for its reception in the spring. It is well known that the operation of frost upon the seed of winter grain has the same effect as if it is sown in autumn—as wheat or rye sown at the setting in of winter will grow and mature. The advantages which are experienced from sowing in the spring, are, 1st, that the grain is not subject to be winter killed; 2d, it escapes the Hessian fly in autumn, and possibly it may escape it in the spring; 3d, the ground being fresh stirred for spring sowing, the growth will be more vigorous; and 4th, as it will come into ear late, there is at least a probability that the crop may escape the grain worm. The advantages are so manifest, that the experiment is worth a trial; and we shall feel obliged to some Tennessee correspondent who will give us the details and result of the practice in that state.

This note was also published in Cultivator 4(4): 64 (1837).