Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-22
his fellows and nothing Of posterity.
Seeding small grains SeasOnahly

his fellows and nothing of posterity.
Seeding small grains seasonably is
seeding them early. If upon land fall
plowed, as they always should be if pos
sibie, then, just as soon as the frost
leaves the ground sufficiently so that the
harrow, the drill, or the broadcast seeder
can work without striking frost, work
early and late to get in the crop. But,
says one, you have told us that land
worked when wet will bake and
become lumpy. Yes, after the frost
has once left the soil-not before ;
for the subsequent freezing and thawing
set all right again.
Some years since, q farmer in Central
Illinois worked large farm that was
not subdivided by division fences, ex-
cept one through the middle of the farm
mile apart, and consequently the fields
there were four of them-contalned
section of land each. He had been get.
ting in his wheat AT such times since the
goth of February as the frost would per.
init. His neighbors-some of them-had
prophesied all kinds of bad luck. II
would freeze out, or drown out, or blast,
or at any rate come up weak. One day,
while engaged overseeing power-ma-
chine sowing and string of teams har-
rowing, the following dialogue occurred
between himself and neighbor who
was passing by:
Meadowman, what on airth are you
doin' therer Sowin' wheatg It'll freeze,
won't itg"
"If thought it would, l should not
SOW IL until the frost was well out and
the ground settled"
Wont the ground bakey"
No, think not, If it freezes again,
and it probably will"
But won't the seed rots'
"Of course 1t will"
"Then what in the name of goodness
are you sowin' forY"
Because on the earth is the proper
place to SOW it. Did you ever get crop
without the seed had first rottedg"
Well-n-o; but, of course, didn't
mean that. But, really, is it right to
SOW spring wheat in the winter'-for
they say you sowed some in February"
"Oh! II said yes and left 1t at that
you would not be convinced. Come and
see."
Taking the skeptic to portion of the
field sown in February he showed him
the grains of wheat, fully swelled, but
elastic and just ready to sprout. Going
to another part OF the field, sown with
rye the previous October, but which, for
the want of rain, had not come up the
previous autumn, he showed him the rye
sprouted half an inch, stated the condi-
tions, and added; IF ] could always
so put in either wheat or rye in the fall
that it would lie dormant during the win
ter crop will of course be assured from
heaving and consequent winter-killing."
The neighbor was convinced at once.
The farmer then asked him If he had
not noticed that ears of corn tramped or
plowed into the ground in the fall would
winter all right and come up promptly
in the spring, and even stand frost.
"Oh, yesw replied the inquirer, land
! have often wondered at 1t, but never
learned the lesson now taught me-"
well" said the farmer, "there are
more crops lost by neglecting TO SOW and
plant in season than from any other one
cause. Some people plant or sow in
certain stage of the moon; Others, again,
by certain of the old almanac signs, or
upon certain fixed days. But sensible
men plant and SOW when the sign Ia
right. without reference to the almanac
is, that when the condition Of the soil Is
right. have always practiced sowing
wheat on fall-plowing, and before the
frost had left the ground II possible.
get earlier ripeping, as a rule, and early
ripened grain Is generally good. Aweek
in the ripening Of grain will save 1t from
many unfavorable contingencies operat-
ing against good yield, or to which a
maturing crop is subject. All our cereal
grains originally required to be sown in
autumn to mature crop. by sowing
SO late in autumn that the seed
did not terminate until spring they have
been gradually changed into spring va.
reties, and thus have become ANNALS.
II all farmers were thinking men, or In
quirers into the reasons why, as you and
! are, IL would net be many years until
the whole system Of cultivation would be
changed for the better"
II guess you are right, Meadowman,"
assented the nearer. ~ am glad for
what I've learned, and especially for
that idea OF asking the reason why
From farm and Garden,' in Chicago