Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-28
Conditions Of Wheat Land.

up lumpy. 1t is to be narrowed or
rolled but once, to get just enough
loose, dirt to cover the wheat, SO it
will terminate. d
The other is to pillow the land
early, before it becomes hard under
the August sun, and roll it as soon
as plowed to keep it moist enough
to pulverize with the use of the
harrow. After the first rain har-
row and roll the ground. IF time
and rains can be had, in about two
or three weeks repeat the harrow
ing and rolling.
At least work with the harrow
and roller enough to thoroughly
pulverize the soil as deep as the
drill teeth may go. Another point
in this theory is 70 secure a solid
bottom under garden-like seed
bed. InSfavor of the former theory
is the fact that it requires less work.
1t is claimed by its advocates that
the clods -crumble down by the ac~
ton of the frost and rains, and pro-
tect and nourish the young plants
at the time they most need it.
This crumbing and mellowing is
turning the action Of the elements
into account, making them do for
the plant what is done by the cul-
tivating process Of working dirt up
to them.
As to the yield, it is claimed fox
the cheap method that the crop of
wheat will equal that of the more
expensive method. We would sug-
gest what the advocates of the
cheap method never claim, that
they have another advantage, viz:
their stand of wheat is not so thick
on the cloddy land, since much of
the wheat has persisted for want of
moisture, or been buried under or
between the cleds. The amount of
seed used in the former method is
generally from one and a half to
even two bushels of seed. IF half
that amount terminates there will
be an abundance of wheat plants.
If on good land, and that broken
early, and rolled once before drill
ing, only one bushel of Fultz or
bushel and peck of Clawson be
drilled in, there will then be enough
wheat plants to secure large crop,
other conditions favoring.
In favor of the second theory, it is
claimed that the thorough and early
working of the soil puts it in better
condition for the wheat to grow in.
The grains will terminate evenly
and all come up at the same time
and promptly, and the plants will
make a vigorous full growth and
cover the ground and mulch itself,
so that it will not heave by the
frost, and has the vigor to resist the
unfavorable influences of the
weather. If the fall should be |
dry one, the wheat put in on we'll
pulverized seed bed will come up at
once and make good growth, while
that on the rough-and-ready plan
will not terminate until rains sat-
urate the ground. The plants make
an uneven growth, and on the thin
lands will 60 into winter so feeble
as to perish before the spring. |
If the two methods could be
tested carefully by hundred
farmers in the State, and their re-
suits and OUTLAWS carefully COM
pared, we would have a valuable
lesson In wheat raising.
AS it is, men who generally have
all the farm in cultivation, and are
reaching out to get as many acres
into wheat as possible, will adopt
the rough and ready method,
and they will put On one-half more
seed than the men who have fewer
acres and better cultivated.
The latter will put on more work
and less seed, and will have more
comfort and fewer breakages in ma
chinery when he comes to cut his
wheat. In the spring he will have
an even seed bed for his grass seed
if he wishes grass and clover to
follow his wheat.
After all, if the man who thor
oughly cultivates his land before
sowing his wheat does net get any
more wheat per acre, it is easy to
show that he looses nothing By his
extra labor before committing his
selected seed to the ground. He
need not SOW as much seed by half.
He here saves half bushel of wheat
or fifty cents on each acre, which
will pay him for deal of extra Ia
Dor. He can harvest at less cost
aud less risk of breakage of reaper.
In cutting such wheat the man on
the seat of the reaper is not in the
risk Of his life and limb. On rough
wheat land the man on the reaper
seat has all he can do to keep his
place, and the rough land makes
the wear and tear of machinery
sOmat hiuO NOT m ha ,,o,loo.o1