Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-25
Best Preparation for a Wheat crop.

Best Preparation for Wheat Crop.
Practical cultivators the world over,
wherever wheat and clover are grown,
concede the fact that u clover sod is
one of the best, if not the very best,
natural preparations for good wheat
crop. 1t is also very generally admit
ted that the yield of wheat is better
when the clover crop has been grown
for seed than when the second crop is
turned under green or cut off for hay.
Repeated experiment has proven that
the wheat-producing capacity of a soil
depends on the amount of available
nitrogenous matter it contains. After
careful analysis of the soils from which
heavy crops of clover have been taken
DR.. Voelcker and other scientists claim:
l. That in the growth of clover large
amount of nitrogenous matter accumu-
lates in the soil. 2. Ibis accumulation
is greatest in the surface soil and it is
derived from dccaying leaves dropping
during the growth of the clover and
from the great mass of root, containing
when dry from one and half to two
per cent. of nitrogen. 3. There are
more and larger roots and a greater
accumulation of fallen leaves when the
crop is allowed to go to seed than when
it is cut for hay or pastured.
DR.. Voelcker's advice to farmers who
desire to gain from clover lay the
greatest possible benefit is to plow it
up for wheat as early as consistent in
the autumn and leave it in a rough
state as long as possible that the air
may find free access into the soil that
the crude nitrogenOus organic matter
in the clover roots and decaying leaves
may have time to become transformed
into ammoniacal compounds and then
in the course of time into nitrates.
When the clover lay is plowed up early
the decay of the clover is sufficiently
advanced by the time the young wheat
plant Stands in need of ready available
nitrogenous food, and this being uni
formly distributed through the whole
of the cultivated soil is ready to benefit
every single plant.
An application of lime previous to
turning under clover or any vegetable
growth assists decomposition, and when
there are weeds prevents them from
souring the soil. Light soils require
less lime than others and more care in
the preparation.
Next to clover as a forerunner of
wheat a goodly number of Southern
farmers place peas, which, sown broad
cast upon spring stubble and turned
under when in flower, have been known
to increase the yield of the cereal from
four to six bushels per acre.
While farmers generally agree that
plowing under clover is the best prep
aration for wheat, many of them ques-
ton whether the plan is wise one.
Not few cultivators seed corn ground
to wheat, believing that, all things con-
sidered, wheat had better follow stalk
ground. Some SOW wheat among the
practiced, as it leaves the surface of the
land in bad order, and is not regarded
as a sure crop. Others cut up the corn
and plow and sow wheat. The una
voidable lateness of this operation is a
decided objection in many sections.
An old-time method of tillage for
wheat, still practiced to some extent,
is to plow taliow the ground before
harvest, or early in August, and stir or
plow again early in September; then
seed with drill or SOW broadcast in the
fall. Fallow ground broken up for
wheat must be free from blue grass, or
the grass will injure the wheat. Fields
that have been in grass for three or
four years, and containing large pro-
portion of blue grass, should be worked
in corn or other summer crops before
they are prepared for wheat.
There is a widespread diversity of
opinion in regard to sowing wheat after
barley or oats. Some of our best farm
ers do it, while others consider the
the fields are not entirely free from
weeds. When circumstances seem to
point to this mode as advisable, w. A..
Armstrong, Elmira, N. Y, recon-
mends more than single plowing to
prepare the ground. He thinks it is a
good plan to skim the stubble lightly
as soon as the crop is removed, and
when the seeds of weeds near the sur
face are thus caused to terminate,
plow a little deeper, bringing other
seeds into suitable condition for growth,
and still third plowing as deep as
needed for the wheat. This would be
an approach to the summer fallow
which most cultivators regard as the
true preparation of weedy land for
wheat.
Charles Heller, farmer in the same
vicinity, condemned before the Elmira
IN. " Farmers Club the practice of
turning over an old sod for wheat, his
experience not favoring this plan, full
crop of May weed being his reward.
He believed better way to be raising
potatoes or corn on the inverted sod,
then barley, then wheat to be followed
by clover. The season when the land
is occupied by potatoes or corn affords
opportunity to destroy weeds, and if
the land is strong enough to support a
stiff old sod, it will bring barley and
wheat after it. In any event the great
secret in growing wheat is to work the
ground thoroughly.-N. Y. World.
Artificial Ice in Florida.