The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-09-22
for the farmer.
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL FOR
WHEAT

just now large proportion OF the farmers OF
those sections of oBr country which grow winter
wheat are busily engaged in preparing the seed
bed for sowing in September. The success OF the
crop depends very much upon the proper and
thorough preparation of the soil. Scarcely any
Of our seasons favorable in all respects to the
largest yield of that cereal, and many of them
appear to be decidedly unfavorsble in several
aspects A summer drought prevents deep
blowing, especially of stnbble ground.
September drought prevents prompt germna-
tion and diminishes the autumn growth.
warm August favcrs the operations of the Hes
sian fly, a cold one retards the growth of tops
and roots. An open winter with but little snow
and frequent freezes and thaws, tends to the
heaying out of the roots, and hard winter with
deep SHOWS may smother the wheat where drifts
accumulate, on hill-sides and along fences. And
even when the wheat comes through the winter
in good condition, we cannot calculate with any
degree Of certainty upon good crop, for other
casualties await it. spring drought prevents
tillering and thickening up; the larvse of the ny
may suck the jnice from the stalks, rust may
shrink the grain, or too rapid ripening may have
a similar effect. Verify, the wheat crop of this
country is exposed to many risks, and we are
surprised that there are not more instead of
fewer failures
In view of these possibilities of disaster to the
wheat crop it becomes a serious question, can
farmers do anything to prevent failurei The hu-
man mind has somehow become possessed OF the
idea that mind il destined TO triumph over mat
nature that her forces shall do him no
harm, but shall he rendered subservient to his
They think that such dominion is fore
Swallowed in Gods command TO Adam to subdue
the earth, and in the words of the inspired
Psalmst: "Thou hast given him dominion over
all the works of Thy hand" They think they
the partial fulillment of the prediction in
past achievements of man, in clearing up forests,
retaining swamps, removing rocks, making bar
rem deserts productive, changing the coarse, in
r. -. Il. 4.
gestible, nutritious grains, vegetables and fruits
adapted to the wants of man and dOmesticated
animals; in using runniag streams 10 operate
machinery, and large bodies of water as mediums
of communication of man with man, and of
transportation of the products of the soil and the
handiwork of man; in controlling, partially, the
force in wind, heat, steam, gravitatiOn and cleo
tricity, and making them subseryicnt to man,
aud ia the numerous other ways in which the
material forces have been made to render friend
ly services TO man. They think that inasmuch
as some great ends have been already accom-
plished, there is reason to believe that the fu-
ture has other and greater achievements in re-
serve, and that man may yet be able To till the
ground with almost absolute certainty of reap
ing the fiuits of his toll.
We think the history of farming, in the United
States, the last half century, has demonstrated
that intelligence has enabled the farmers to gain
many victories over nature, by which his losses
from adverse circumstances have been diminish
wheat growing thorough preparation of the
soil is the first requisite of success Thorough
preparation includes proper drainage, fertiliza-
ton and pulyerization of the soil. In blowing
in stubble for wheat, especially barley stubble,
the blowing should be pretty deep, rs to be below
the roots Of the wheat until they have rotted.
Barley roots feed near the surface and if that
surface is buried six to eight inches the roots of
the wheat will not have to CLEAN the soil just
pastured by the barley. If the pillow is followed
h. L.. anil
leave many of the Others upon, OF near the sur
face Especially will this be the case if the
Spring-toOth harrow is used. Following with
q roller will crush the Jumps or clods. Then a
wheel cultivator or gang pillow will mellow and
fine the soil several inches in depth, and bring
more clOds to the surface. Another rolling will
crush more Jumps and compact the lower strata,
and if the Jumps not then fully palyerized,
more cultivating or narrowing and rolling will
be in order The aim should be TO make the
seed-bed so fine that the roots of the wheat can
reach every molecule of soil and extract its
available plant-foOd.
The repeated harrowings and rOllings will tend
to compact the lower strata of the mellowed
SOIL and farmers have come to the conclusion
that such result is desirable. 1t prevents the
growth of tap roots in the autumn, and encour-
ages the gOOwth of numerous laterals near the
surface. which are not so liable to be broken by
the rising and falling of the surface of the ground
If special fertilizers are drilled in with the Seed
surface roots, diminishing the liability TO des-
truction from heaving. We have seen instances
where wheat had been badly winter-killed on
strips not phosphated, but made good growth
where phosphate was used. We think that those
farmers that have fairly tried draining, and
thorough preparation of the sced-bed, are salts
fed that they can prevent serious loss from hea-
wing.
Another question in connection with prepara-
ton tor wheat is, the best time for sowing. If
the farmer foreknew the coming of the weather
throughout the autumn, he would be better
qualified for deciding what to sow. Extreme
early sowing will result in too much growth of
top, should autumn be warm, and would expose
the plant to danger from the Hessian fly. Late
sowing would result in too little growth, should
the autumn be cold. In consideration of haz-
ards from extremes, our most judiciOus farmers
in Western New York have settled upon the pc
Rod ranging frUm about the 5th to the 18th of
September as the best seeding time, inclining to
the earlier rather than the later days of that pc
Rod. Some very good farmers as early rs
the LIST, and n few even earlier, but we think a
large majority would prefer the season indicated
above.
After all that it is possible to do in the way of
preparation of the soil and seeding has been DONE
wheat will sometime kill out i'm winter in both
high and low spots. Our severe winter winds
blowing the snow off knobs and ridges will
sometimes freeze ont the wheat, and water set
Ting is depressions will sometimes smother it.
Under-drains will in time relieve the depressions
of water, but it sometimes occurs that water set
ties in such places when it is frozen underneath
50 that it can not settle into the drains. In
many instances burrows, opened after seeding,
will carry off the water The elevated spots might
be partially protected from freezing out, by top
dressing with barn-yard manure. A light dres-
sing of partly rotten straw, applied after the
ground is frozen, would afford considerable pro-
lection, without smothering. A few barren
knobs or depressions in field of wheat will re-
duce the average yield considerably, although
the remainder may he very heavy. The aim
should be to make every rod of ground pro-
ductiye possible.
What we have attempted to show in this art-
Gle is, that improved farming is rendering our
farmers less subject to loss from unfavorable at
mospheric conditions, and that stillu frther pro-
gress may in time emancipate them from subjec-
ton to vicissitudes of excessive rains OF drouths
excessive freezings, and sudden thawings and
even enable them to overcome insect and fungi
enenlies-dmerican Rural Homo