Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-05-16
From the Prairie Farmer
BR E AKING PRAIRIE, CORN,
WHEAT, &c.
BIZ PRAIRIE BREAKER"


have cultivated the prairie six years,
and have learned some things by hard &C.
perience which | am willing to commun-
cate gratis.
b" Al achat depth should the prairie be
broken?" If not used for sod crop, or
for putting in wheat in the fall, the thinner
the sod is turned the better (say 2 inches
so that it is all cut and turned. At the above
mentioned depth it matters not whether the
furrow-sIice is jointed down, Tapped, or
laid in crnkles." Sigh; rains, or even
dews, will then penetrate through the soil
or at least furnish sufficient moisture to
carry on the work of decomposition. All
are probably aware that heat and moisture
are indispensable agents in the decomposi-
ton of vegetable matter. When broken
Csav inches) the grass will frequently
be found TO be Fire ranged" instead of
being rotted, whilst the strong wry roots
Of which the sod is mainly composed, re-
main nearly as strong as when first turned
over. This is evidently owing to the in
rabity of slight rains, &c to penetrate to
the under side Of the furrow.
Pzoacing for sod crops. Sow your oats
and pl0U them in. Corn-drop after the
plow in the usual manner. Turn your
Tqrrow 2 ID inches. Immediately after
blowing, before the grain begins to vege-
late, roll it down with heavy spiked roll
er. This breaks the sod, makes apertures
for the grain to ascend and the moisture to
descend. at the same time assists in he de-
composition Of the sod, consequently the
growth Of the crop.
When fall ghedt is to be Sorn. plow
4 inches deep-roll IN like manner imme-
diatelv after breaking, and several times
in the course Of the season; harrow in the
wheat before the goth of August and the
lst Of Seotember-two bushels Of seed to
the acre-no cross-plowing is necessary.
A Spiked Roller, almost every farmer
can make take a common roller, put in
two inch pins, well sharpened, or rather
pointed, six inches apart; its diameter
should not be less than two and a half feet.
Spring Whect Almost every farmer
in this vicinity raises more or less OF this
article. Winter wheat does well, and IS
almost as sure a crop as corn, but still we
consider it good economy to raise few
acres Of spring wheat, for the following
reasons: 1st, If our fall crop should be
cut off. our spring grain may stand. 2Ad,
MANY farmers begin as early and end as
late in the season as it is safe, in putting
in their fall wheat--thc same with harvest
ing. Spring wheat being sown and har-
vested at different periods from the fall
wheat, we are enabled to raise more wheat
with the same help. Besides it generally
Yields enough more to the acre TO make 1t
as profitable as winter wheat, especially
if we do not have to transport it far TO mar
ket. We have had several varieties of
seed in this vicinity, each having its advo-
Gates. viz: white chaf bald, red chaffbaId,
white and red chatf bearded. The achHe
chaf bald is very good, but | think the
Siberian ,rhite cbqf bearded excels any |
have ever seen. Some 3 or 4 year since
received few kernels from the Hon. H..
/. Ellsworth, Washington. and have Gull
,yated 1t since, and distributed the seed
among my neighbors. The berry is large
and plump. skin thin. and flour white. Its
ereatest REGULARITY thus far is It's entire
freedom from smut, whilst other vartles,
especially the last season, have been nearly
ruined by it, many fields so much so that
thew were not harvested.
Providence, Bureau co. Ill. April. 1913.