The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-26
Preparing Land for Wheat.

If those who raise wheat Coulu anu
would procure the seed of an excellent
variety of white spring or summer wheat,
and would cultivate this in lieu of winter
or fall wheat, they would experience far
less loss in consequence OF the freezing
and thawing of the soil during the
winter months. In the latitude of New
York city vast area of winter wheat is
sowed after barley, after oats and peas
and frequently after crop of red clover
has been removed. In preparing oats or
barley stubble for winter wheat it should
be plowed at least two weeks previous to
the time of putting in the seed. Ii the
soil is thin let the common pillow run only
as deep as the soil extends; then break
up and pulverize the subsoil with the
subsoil pillow, instead of turning up too
much of the barren soil from below. The
best time for putting in winter wheat is
usually about the LIST of September. Let
the compost, or rotted manure, be hauled
and deposited in small conical heaps
over the field. Allowing that five
bushels are enough for one square rod,
when spread evenly, and that there are
twenty-five bushels in two horse wagon
load thirty-two loads will manure one
acre abundantly for a good crop Of wheat
if the manure is made of the droppings of
work horses and oxen and fattening bull
ocks and sheep that have consumed more
or less coarse grain. Now spread the ma
nure evenly on about one acre and bury
it and mingle it with the soil with a two
horse Cultivator run about four inches
deep. Go over it three or four times; and
if there are any Jumps use the roller to
crush them. The aim should be to ming,e
the manure thoroughly with three or four
inches in depth of the best soil, and to
have that depth finely pulverized, so that
the grain may have not only good seed
bed to terminate in, but be supplied with
an abundance of available nourishment for
promoting the growth of the young plants,
so that they may acquire large growth
or mass of roots before winter. This will
be an excellent security against heaving
OUT by freezing and thawing, and it will
also prepare the plants for starting early
the following spring. Wheat of any kind
needs fertilizers of fine, rich character.
Indian corn will feed on coarse, unter
mented manure, which would be very
poorly adapted to the growth of wheat.
All good wheat growers agree also on this
point: that winter wheat requires firm
soil; and experience proves that soils OF
this character yield the best crops of
wheat. The light, porous and mucky
soils found on most of our table lands do
not produce as large crops of winter wheat
as many Of the slopes and undulating
portions of the country. However, good
farmers are learning that by blowing,
narrowing and manuring fair crop may
be obtained where the soil is naturally
quite inferior and not adapted to the pro-
duction of winter wheat
In the latitude of New York, whether
winter wheat is to be sowed on summer
fallow or to follow barley or oats, the
ground really should have been in the
course of preparation during the month of
August. As the nudge and Hessian fly are
no longer feared in many localities, farm
ers may now return to the production Ofwin-
ter wheat, with the expectation of raising
remunerative crops if they prepare the
soil properly. Our experience with this
crop warrants us in stating that the most
et1ectual prevention of the ravages of the
nudge is a thorough preparation of the
soil and liberal application OF good, we'll
rotted manure, and this has been corrob-
GRATED by some Of the best wheat growers
of Western New York. The reasoning on
this subject is that thorough preparation
of the soil produces a more luXuriant and
healthy growth, which will withstand the
injurious attack of both these insects
and every good farmer will admit the cor
rectness of the loglc.-N. Y. Herald.