Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1867-04-03
THE TRIBUNE E..
MINERAL POINT:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL ), 1901
Advantages of Drilling Wheat.

u great diversity Oh opIlioh ~
walls as to the comparative merits
of the drill and other implements
used in putting in the wheat crop |
Whilst there are some farmers who |
consider the drill an Indispensable |
Implement, there are others. equal |
", intelligent, and very successful |
eat-growers, who, under no con-
siderations, would consent to have |
their crops put in with the drill.
Until within the last few years
the wheat crops on my farm have
been Gown broad cast, and covered
with the cultivator aud drag lat
terly, the work has been divided
between these implements and the
drill. From my own experience III
using the drill, l think highly of
it. Very probably, when the sea-
son is propitious to the growth Of the
wheat crop, the benefits from the
uso Of the drill are less apparent.
When drouth occurs in the Fall,
leaving the top Of the sill almost
entirely dry, the wheat drilled IN
being three to four inches below
the surface soil, although not GOV
cred to that depth, is comparatively
little affected by the drouth; whilst
portion Of the wheat covered with
the drag, lying near the surface,
and some not covered at all, either
fails to terminate, or, If it does, is
afterwards destroyed by continu-
Gus drouth.
If we examine the wheat fields in
the Spring, after an open or severe
Winter, we can, | think, readily per-
ceiyc the benefits derived from
drilling in wheat. The roots Of the
drilled wheat, Notwithstanding a
succession Of freezing and thawing
days, will generally be found firmly
fixed in the soil, whilst a small
portion of the roots of the wheat,
where the seed was slightly covered
with the barrow, will be thrown up
to the surface, where they must
necessarily perish.
The early part Of the Winter Of
1864, it will be remembered, was
unusually severe and intensely cold,
the thermometer for a succession of
days, falling far below zero. The
soil in our wheat fields, being crum-
bled into dust by severe freezing,
was blown from the roots Of the
wheat plants, where slightly GOV
cred with the drag, by the high
winds which prevailed, causing the
entire destruction of many plants
whilst the ruts Of the drill rows,
when running north and south, as
they always should, were filled up
with the dusty soil carried over the
fields by the force OF the winds,
cansinG an increased protection to
the roots of the plants. | have no
hesitation in saying that the yield
per acre of the part of field on my
fam drilled in, was at least one
third greater than on that part Gov
cred width the drag.
The ridges raised by the machine
on each side Of the drilled rows arc
d great protection to the wheat-plants
when not covered with snow in the
Winter, and q still further protec-
ton IN the Spring thaws, by the
crumbllng down of the ridges
arount the roots of the plants.
Drills, thus constructed, differing
somewhat from the English drills,
are perhaps liable to this objection !:
When the ground is frozen and a
partial thaw occurs, filing the drill
ruts with water which is suddenly
frozen, the wheat is smothered and
a portion Of it destroyed, as was the
case in the Winter of 1866. Such
calamities, however, are of so rare
occurrence, that | would still prefer
our American drills to the English
drills, which, by the hoe attachment
behind the drill tubes, leave the
surface Of the ground comparatively
level and smooth.
Ono great advantage derived
from the use Of the drill i'm Euolish
hua5andry IS the after Spring euI-
tUre the wheat crop receives from
the horse-hoo the same width of the
drlu, and SO constructed as to effect
the most thorough cultivation be
tween the drill rows. ANY one
who will examine his wheat fields
IN the Spring, after the freezing
and thawing has ceased, will at
once perceive what benefits would
follow the use Of the horse-hoe,
The surface soil, especially of CLAW
loans, IS SO compact and solid rs to |
be almost impervious to air and the
moisture deposited by the dews.
Under such unfavorable circum-
stances the growth Of the Young |
wheat plants must necessarily be |
checked, hence the Importance Of /
cultivatng our wheat fields in the
Spring. BY this Spring cultivation. |
the growth of foul weeds may be
entirely checked
Since | have practiced drilling
III my Wapar I Hove ,,,,1l