Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-08
Preparing Land Cor wheat.

La growing wheat there are few things or
more Importance than thorough preparation
of the ground for the seed. Not only should
it be we'll plowed, but thoroughly worked with
the harrow and wheat cultivator or gang pioW.
The plow or cultivator must be used when the
ground is hard. Summer fallows broken up early
il the season, when the land was rather wet may
be dried down hard, and need plowing to again
work up fine and mellow. But when land has
been recently plowcd, aud is not baked, the
harrow and cultivator will put ii in fine con-
diiOn.
There is great advantage in the ire-
uuent use Of a good harrow. 1t works land
down into that fine, mellow, rather compact
condition, that, while it is not in the least hard
is the very best state for wheat. 1t is much
better than the loose, spongy condition, some
times produced by too much plowlng. When
a tough sward is broken uo after dry weather
has set in, in the summer, narrowed once or
twice, and then crossed ploughed in August,
the sod not being thoroughly rotted, will, IN
pieces of various sizes made up OF mass Of
dry roots and stems, be mixed through the
soil, keeping it 10 light hutfy condition, not
easily worked down, and IN which wheat IS
more liable to injury from freezing out. Dry
liable to the same difficulty. The best remedy
for this is frequent narrowing. A good As tooth
harrow will work down such land into prop
er state better than anything else. Then, it
after laying week or two, the land needs
more working, put on good wheel cultivatOr
and work it up four or five inches deep, when
another thorough narrowing will make it In
ine condition A good roller will help to work
down such land but the effect is not equal to
that produced by the harrow. 1t leaves the
soil looking very smooth and fine on top, but
don't put it in as fine and good condition all
through, for the fine roots to penetrate as the
harrow.
When any sward is broken up deep enough
to furnish good seed bed in tie soil turned
up, there is seldom any advantage in bringing
the sod back to the surface. A thorough
working with harrow and cultivator frequently
makes better preparation on the sod than cau
be secured by cross plowlng. This is especially
the case when clover is ploWed under rather
late, or any sward is broken up after harvest.
Then, as the sod will not be rotten enough to
work down fine, it is far better at the bottom
holding the soil well together, while it pre-
vents baking down on the subsoil, and, when
powed in the proper direction, leaves room at
the bottom of the iurrow for surplus water to
work off.
When summer falow is broken up carly,
and the sod is so rotten that it can be worked
down as fine, there will be less difference
Then cross plowing once or tWice-twicc Is best
with sufficient narrowing, Will make the land
in good condition. Still, in such cases, the
more narrowing the better, for there is nothing
like good harrow to pu: land in the best con-
dition for wheat. With shallow plowing, say
four or FIVE inches deep, this course is often the
BEST But when broken up from seven to ten
inches deep, as nearly ali good wheat land
should be, once plowlng is generally the best.
After land is brought into fair condition, SO
q good cultivation and narrowing will make 1T
all right for the seed then apply from twelve
to fifteen loads of we'll rottcd manure per acre.
This manure must be spread very line; It should
be so thoroughly broken to pieces and dlstrlbu-
ted that none will impede the cultivator or
harrow When we'll spread it is not only more
benefit to the crop. but saves time, as it costs
more labor to be frequently stopping to clear
cloggcd cultiyator or harrow, and spread the
lunches thus drawn together than 10 thorough
ly do the work in the first place.
Manure, well rotted, Goes the most good
when applied in this way. Ii not we'll rotted,
it must be ploy7ed il. as coarse MANURE cannot
be well worked in with the harrow and cultiva-
tor. If partly rotted and powcd under four or
five inches deep, with rather narrow turow,
turning less to The bottom, and leaving more
between the burrows it vii! do very. we'll. Then
a large portion Of the manure IS near the sur
tace, where it will soon benefit the young
wheat. 4 leading object IN surface manurlng
Is to give the young plant good start, secure
a,gcod growth and strong root in the tall, and
thus put wheat in the best condition to STAND
the winter and spring, and to finally make
good crop. It is also a great help in securing
aasood seeding to clover with the wheat
Coarse manure, ploWcd under deep turroW,,
can be OF little benefit in this way, and is OF
doubtful advantage at the best lf!lshtly
pIowed uoder, more or less will work out and
Interfere with subsequent cultivation, and may
seriously obstruct the working or the drill. All
manure should be so prepared and applied as
not to interfere with the operation OF q good
Wheat Country Gentleman.
Blazing hot as our weather has been all over
the country, We have thus far been spared the
troubles which the Russians are undergoing
hom the same cause. So long continued and
excessive has their heated term been thatspon-
taneous combustion has taken place IN some OF
the large peat. beds around Tsarskae-Selo and
Peterhoff, aud vast subterranean fires are in
progress And SO dry are the woods and her
page that in the Pargolara district the forests
surrounding the lakes have been aiire for weeks.
In Belgium the grass has several times caught
Nrc from engine sparks along the railroad, and
spread with great rapidity, corn and other. ce-
reals being largely damaged So that mere dis
comfort is not the only trouble which hot
weather may bring about.
STOVELLS SINFALIIBLE AGUECTRE