The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-08-10
ON WHEAT.

HS sCoPy VI yOut paper oased July 1tkh
in which ! find an editorial headed s.Pre
miunls." wherein I learn that you hav
frequently solicited farmers TO write arti
cles for your paper. giving their experience
in raising wheat, corn, DC. &c, as well a
the best method of preparing the ground
seed, and securing the different crops wher
ripe. But they have not done il and now
in order to avenge yourself on those poo
farmers, you threaten to give them copy
of TIE NEWS, the Prairie Farmer. &c.
at least to the person or persons writing the
best essay on Wheat or Corn Raising
am pleased with your literal disposition,
and hope that you may be successful in ere.
ating spirit of essay-Writing Cat least) thai
will prevent you, in coming time, from
complaining of the hardness of farmers in
this section of country.
You are aware Of my incompetency as an
essayist; consequently. you cannot expect
an essay from me to go before your judges
as competitor for the different premiums
you propose to award. However. wish
to send you the bes: that 1 can do as an
essay (if, indeed, it can be called such J.
and request that you treat it as though you
had received it before publishing your
schedule of premiums.
wHEAr-How TO PREPARE THE GROUND.
On all the bottom land, pillow or break
up your ground, as soon as the sod is rot
ten enough, as deep as you can-the deeper
the better. By SO doing you will mix the
subsoil with the surface soil, when you will
get soil better adapted to wheat than all
surface -soil-the surface soil being now too
rich for wheat-and save draining, to some
extent; for it is a well known fact that wa
ter standing on II g surface will in short time
sour, and act as poison to all vegetation !;
and that we'll stirred subsoil will hasten
the surplus water from the surface, and in
many instances viii! take the place of drain
ing or ditching. The came will apply to
upland, except the immediate deep blowing
or subsoiling, as on most of the upland the
slate or soapstone lies so near the surface
that it would be ruinous to subsoil the
same as on the bottom 1t will have to be
done gradually, and should be SO done, by
all means. -#-.es
Having gone thus far, the next important
stepis stirring. If the ground is rough
and cloddy, roll it; then harrow it. If one
narrowing is not sufficient, harrow Sec
ond time; and. if necessary, roll again. AS
a general thing, this will answer in getting
the ground pulverized-always taking care
not TO work the ground when wet enough
to bake. The ground is now ready for the
stirring pillow. Much depends on the
amount to be sowed, as to the available
help, ii any, needed-always observing the
rule, that what is worth doing at all, is
worth doing well. But it is impossible to
lay down rule that can be followed by ALL
Some may want to sow great deal with
little help; others may want to sow less
with more help. One may have ground
that is foul, and another may have well
rotted and we'll pulverized soil, and free of
weeds; while another will have the contra
ry. But on the supposition that the ground
is well rotted, well pulverized. and not foul
but free from weeds, and not likely to get
weedy-for sowing this fall commence stir
ring as soon as harvesting and hay making
is over, and take for a furrow-slice about
two inches more than the pillow will cut.
This will leave the ground in ridges and
should crop of weeds start before sowing
time, good narrowing viii be as ,effectual
in destroying them as a blowing. Whether
there be weeds at sowing time or not, this
narrowing must be performed, in order to
level aud smooth the surface before SOW
ing.
HOW TO PUT THE SEED IN THE GROUND.
By all means drill or plow it in. Never
harrow it in except on. sod, where blowing
and drilling is out of the question. In this
connection let me say word or two of SOW
ing wheat upon the sod. s,.
Before sowing, roll the ground well with
the heaviest roller you can get. The roll
ing will give as much more fne earth for
covering with, as would half dozen har-
rowings. After rolling. SOW and harrow as
often as you choose.
But to return. was saying never harrow
wheat in on old ground. I am aware that
/ am running against the preconceptions of
many of our farmers, who assert that it
matters not how deep wheatis put in the
ground, if it can only come up-that the
kernel will come up to the surface. With
them make issue. and beg leave to differ.
Wheat, when put under the ground one,
two, three, or even four inches, will vege-
tate, and the kernel will not come up, but
stay just one, two. three or four inches un-
der the ground-just where the pillow or
drill left it--until it has nourished the
young plant. decomposed, and returned to
its original elements.
Wheat never makes tap-root, but throws
out number of feeders close to the surface.
But in this light soil, and this dry. no. and
windy climate, we must put our wheat in
the ground so as to force tap-root and