The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-16
The Successful Cultivation OF Wheat,

EVERY farmer cannot raise satisfac-
tory crops Of wheat, for reason that this
cereal requires much higher state of
cultivation of the soil than any other
grain. In order to produce remunerative
crops of prime white winter wheat the
soil must be in an excellent state of fer
tility; and there must be an abundance of
available inorganic elements of nutrition
in condition to promote the growth and
development of the growing crop. When
the seed is deposited in the well-prepared
ground there will be a given quantity of
accessible matter on the surface soil, from
which certain elements of its structure
must be derived, if derived at all. When
these are exhausted the young plants must
cease growing, because the supply of
these ceases. On moist soils, in large
majority of instances, there is not a larger
amount of such plant food than is rcqui-
site to produce an average crop. A thick
stand of wheat will, of necessity, draw
on this limited amount of surface mold
much faster than half or two-thirds the
number of plants, the total quantity of
which must therefore be sooner exhausted.
Hence it would appear that a thick crop
on soil in the same condition cannot grow
so late in the season as thin one, because
its means of growth, or some essential
part of them, will be earlier exhausted
than would be true with thin crop on
the same soil. This is frequently seen
where one part of field is winter killed
and the other escapes. In the later
stages of growth, and just prior to ripen-
ing, there will be less evaporation where
the soil is covered with thick growth
than where the crop is thin. The accessi-
bic surface food will usually be exhausted
when one part of a crop ripens
before another, and the soil and the thick
ness of the stand, or both, are different.
Where crop presents thick mass of
heads of about even height, the heat of the
sun will cause more of it to be Intercepted
by the heads and less of it directly reach
the ground than with a thinner stand.
This greater extent of refraction will, of
course, contribute its influence in hasten
ing harvest time. The reduced cooling
and supply of food by evaporation; the
more intense action of solar heat; but
principally the more rapid exhaustion re,
sulting from the larger demands of full
crop when growing fast, will account for
thick crop ripening or ceasing to grow
ditions. Where wheat is thin by accident,
oAse ShSAS 40 O1ouSA1 ouiAoSS AloAu "
mature thick crop, the thinly standing
plants will have more than a sufficient
supply to make maximum size of growth,
the size and period of ripening being
limited only by the law of time in the
latter case, as distinguished from the
smaller growth consequent on small or
limited supply of matter when the crop
stands thick on the ground. When the
soil is in high condition and fine filth less
seed may be used. Thick seeding will
generally hasten the ripening of wheat
and lessen the risks Of the crop, while in
equally good conditions thinner stock
OF plants will be found to yield more straw
to each root, longer and larger cars, and
a larger measure of finer wheat to the
given quantity of growing seed. When
the soil is properly prepared for wheat, if
the seed is put in with grain drill ninety
pounds of prime seed will be sufficient for
an acre.-N. 2. Herald.