The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-02-27
horticultural Column.
SPRING WHEAT.

From &c Premium Essay on Spring
Wheat in the Prairie Farmer, we
take the following:
PRECIPITATION OF SoIL.-Our prairie
fhas generally been broken for the
fs3t time, in May and June, sometimes
il July. If cattle are allowed to run
on the breaking, it is best to break
early, say in May, as the cattle keep
the weeds and grass cropped, and their
treading induces decomposition. Ii
cattle cannot be allowed on the break
ing, it is better not to break until the
grass has grown considerably; it will
then be more sure to die, and the fer
mentation of the vegetable matter is a
benefit to the soil between two and
three inches is the proper depth to
break.
The fall after breaking, the burrows
should be turned back with an addition
al slice of about an inch from the
bottom of the furrow. Spring Wheat
being the most important crop grown in
this part Of the State, Northern Hi
nois] and more acres being devoted to
it than to all other crops, it is therefore
impossible to change the crop every
year and it must be sown successfully
on the same field. New land will pro-
duee from four to six crops with proper
management without any diminution Of
product. I have been told Of fields be-
ing cropped with wheat fifteen years in
succession, and still produced good
crops.
The blowing for the second crop
should be done as soon after harvest as
practicable, the sooner the better the
stubble and weeds thus being turned
under, greatly assist to keep up the
condition of the land. The blowing
should be about one inch deeper than
the previous blowing; thus each year
turning up an inch Of soil never before
plowed, and this process should be con-
tinued until it reaches depth equal to
the capacity of the team to perform,
and | fully believe it would be proita-
BILE to add another team and still con-
tinue the deepening process at the rate
Of an inch year. Late fall blowing is
not considered any better for the crop
than spring blowing, but enables the
farmer to get in his seed earlier in the
spring.
When wheat is to be sown on ground
where corn was grown the previous
year, do not pillow if the corn was well
worked, but SOW and work in with a
cultivator or double shovel pillow, be-
tween the rows and cross with a
heavy drag and roll this will cover the
wheat well, and put the cornstalks out
Of the way.
SowING THE SEED.-This should be
performed as early in the spring as the
situation of the ground will permit; it
is not necessary that the frost be all out
of the ground if thawed SO as not to
interfere with the operations Of the
drag it is sufficient. 1t seems to make
but little difference with the crop whether
the ground is wet or dry at the time of
sowing, so that the seed can be well
covered. If the ground is rough, as it
usually is for two years after breaking,
it should be narrowed over once before
sowing, and as many times after as is
necessary to thoroughly pulverize and
level the surface, generally once each
way, tapping the drag half, is sufficient;
many farmers drag only once after SOW
ing, and none at all before. The oper-
alton should be finished with the roller
in all cases, unless the ground be too
wet to admit of it in that case it may
be deferred until the grain comes up,
and even a few days after; but the best
time to roll is Immediately after drag
cling, when it can be done, | once
sowed part Of field IN February, and
covered with brush drag, there being
too much frost too admit the use of the
iron tooth drag the balance Of the
field was not sown until April. The
first sown was much the best wheat. l
also sowed half bushel in December,
intending to have it freeze in immedi-
ately, but not being able to foresee the
weather, about two thirds Of it sprouted
and was killed by the winter. What
was left came up in the spring very thin
and yielded but small crop, but was
very nice wheat. II is essentially
necessary that Spring Wheat be
so,cn carly