The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-08-12
fer the farnlrr.
THE CULTIVATION OF WHEAT.
BY CHARLES E. HESTER.

When we look at the low average Of the wneat |
crop in the old settled States, and the fast ae,
cressing average in the new, Except in new ianul
we must conclude that there is some mismanage.
ment with regard to the crop. And IL SO, W. .bst
is itf In the first place, / am convinced ' a.
our usual rotation by making wheat iOiio"
oat crop, is wrong and exhaustlDg ..oIv ;f
In Europe, two white straw crops are IAi.. 3;th
ever taken in succession. Their average, 80
attention to the production ana con :; CONSTANTLY
nures and their proper applications = ~ az same
increasing and why should mol QUIZ w ~ he de-
with equally good management ~ ,s-yopert;es
MED nv come That the wheat growing ProPersioe
of our lands are impaired. OF such "ouiu hoio
" ask. why they do not grow tne nuei H. .L;I
white wheat as formeryI Inc ausM =,
wouId invariably be, because we cannot. Anu
does this not most concIusNoi1 Pio $500 ~
nnndo to the proper application Of manure.
7 do NOT think that wheat is the crop to when
harn ward OF stable manure should be applied d.
rectIv II has tendency to produce an over
irTnTiapt growth of straw, to the injury of the
orain vet we all know that We can get neither
Straw nor grain, where wheat is taken after oats,
unless we do manure, and that pretty heavily.
This goes far 70 prove that the one should never
be made to follow the other. / can not conceive
why this Objectionable feature in our rotation
should have worked itself into such very general
favor, except its cOnveniences and apparent
profitable occupation of the land between the
corn and wheat crops. Instead of making oats
preparation for wheat, / would suggest sowing
clover seed with it, or dispensing with the oat
crop entirely and taking barley in its place. also
to be sown with clover seed, with this latter
crop clover seed succeeds remarkably WELL and
then blowing the clover svapd for wheat the fol-
lowing year If the land is in high condition,
the first crop of clover might be made into hay
or pastured, and the second growth plowed IN
der for the wheat crop; but if the land is not
very fertile and it is desired TO increase its pro-
ductiveness, l would advise turning under the
growth of the whole season. This would leave
the manure to be applied to the corn crop, where
believe it would be more beneficial than to the
wheat, as applied under the usual system or it
might be used for top-dressing the grass lands
Clover is an excellent crop to precede wheat.
The heaviest crops of wheat ever succeeded IN
raising, were sown on clover sward. In plowlng
under clover prefer waiting until 1t has per
fectly matured. Many prefer blowing when 1t Is
in full bloom, but this does not coincide with my
experience 1t is true that there is apparently
a greater amount of vegetable matter upon the
ground at the time of Towering, but it is too sap
py, and disappears very soon after being turned
under, in consequence Of too rapid fermehta-
tion taking place
The objection may be raised to blowing down
n crop of clover that it is an expensive mode OF
manuring but this think is incorrect; for the
expense Should not be counted at higher figure
than the interest the cost of the land with the
value of the clover seed added and it is lmpos-
sible to manure as cheaply and at the same time
as effectually in any other manner.
culture" after anumerating a number of crops
suitable to be grown before wheat, concludes by
saying, LASTLY, the best way of obtaining good
crops of wheat, is to SOW the grain on broken up
clover land" and he farther recommends that
the clover should be plOwed a month previous to
sowing the wheat. This recommendation COIN
cides with the practice of many of the best far
mers in England, who prefer sowing wheat on
a stale furrOw, under the impression that land
that has become somewhat compact in conse-
of haviuu had tiFia IN Gattle
genial to the growth of wheat, than that which
has been recently plOwed 1t is also thought
important not to have the ground too finely pull
verified, as the grain is supposed to stand the
Winter better when the land is somewhat cloddy
on the surface. This is also the opinion of many
of the most successful wheat-growers in the in
terror of this State and it also comedies with my
own experience. The reason for preferring clod-
dy surface is, that it does not SO readily form
crust after showers, and the clods as they crum-
BILE to pieces during the Winter and Spring, sup
ply fresh mellow earth TO the roots of the plants
Another important point is the mode OF SOW
ing, whether it is better to drill or SOW broad
cast. Drilling has certainly become very popu-
lar, and not without some good reasons, among
which the following seem to be the most impor-
tant. The wheat may all be drilled in short
time, at the proper season, the land having been
previously prepared-and in case of rain inter-
rupting the work. it is finished without any af-
ter narrowing, which must often be done If sown
broadcast, when the land is too wet or perhaps
must be delayed until the grain has sprouted
The seed is also deposited at a regular depth
by the drill, and is thought to stand the Winter
better than when sown broadcast and covered
with the harrow. But the greatest advantage to
be gained by drilling seems to be entirely over
looked by the farmers of this country. In Eng
land and Scotland drilling is only resorted to on
account of the increased facility it affords for
hoeing the CROP and not with any idea that it in
creases the yield unless it is hOed A series of
experiments made IN Scotland, in the vicinity of
Edinburg, to test the relative advantages of drill
and broadcast sowing, pretty conclusiyely estsb-
lshed the fact that whenever the drilled wheat
was hoed, the yield was greater than the broad.
cast, (not hoed.) But when the drilled was not
cultivated, the superiority was on the side of the
broadcast, thus showing conclusively that the IN
creased yield of the drilled wheat was sttributar
BILE to the hoeing and not TO its being drilled.
All things being equal, incline to the opinion
that broadcast generally succeeds better than drill
ed wheat. In drilling the grain is too closely de-
posted in narrow rows to allow the roots sufi-
Gent space to grow without interfering with
each other; much of the grass seed is also wash
ed into the drills by rains so that we often have
both grass and grain growing in narrow rows,
much to the detriment of each other
From the above remarks l do not wish to be
understood as eondemning the use of the drill
although must acknowledge that / have lost
much of the high appreciation once had for it.
My object has been to draw the attention of the
Club more particularly to the subject. 1t is one
of much Importance, and can be solved only by a
close observation and actual experimentation
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