Connecticut western news., 1881-09-21
FARM AND GARDEN.
THE sEEDBED FOR WHEAT.

To break the land in April or May, to blow three times, narrowing not less than twice between each blowing, was once the orthodox, and almost universal method of fitting the land for wheat. What middle-aged man so fortunate as to have been reared on the farm who does not remember the many tiresome days that he spent following the steady slow-go1ng oxen and dusty drag, fitting the summerfallows? Of all the work on the farm-not excepting churning-thls was the most dreaded by the boys. When the land was new, and filled with the richness of decaying ages, this method produced good crops but now, aside from the great amount of labor, there are many objections to the sum- merfallow. It takes two years to obtain a crop. By the evaporation of the vola- tile elements of plant food from the raw and constantly stirred surface, it ex- hausts the land much more than the production of the largest crop.
 So much blowing and narrowing pull verizes and mellows the soil to the full depth plowed, and makes it entirely too loose and friable for the best good of the growing wheat, especially if followed by an open freezing and thawing winter. AS usually done It duly multiplies the weeds, but if ever so we'll and thorough ly done, 1t does not eradicate perennial weeds, such as quack and Canada thistle; this we all have proved to our cost at harvest time, when the wheat has been killed by bad winter. It is a very ex- pensive way of raising wheat. Two years interest on land worth $l0O per acre, $l2; three times blowing, $6; har- rowing and cultivating, $5; making an aggregate of $23 per acre. This, with the cost of harvesting, threshing, etc., would require yield of at least twenty five bushels per acre, ln average years, to pay expenses. No wonder our farm CTS declare that wheat raising doesn't pay. Luckily many of our best and most progressive farmers are adopting better method let us see what it is:
 Put little plaster or other special fertilizers on the clover in spring to pro- duce large growth. Mow early, or when just coming to full blossom this makes the very best hay, cuts off all weeds before seeding, and greatly weak ems all perennial weeds, and especially Canada thistles, and should yield not less than one and one, half tons of hay per acre, and leaves the soil filled with mass of roots. About tne 1st of Au- gust, or when the clover is we'll started, blow down and be sure to blow we'll. The clover and roots on and in the soil are worth as manure certainly as much as twenty loads of average farmyard ma nure. Roll, harrow and cultivate until the ground is fine and mellow on top, but firm beneath ; this makes seedbed, the best that can be devised, and that will insure the largest and surest crop. The ton and half of clover hay is worth at least SIP to feed with grain on the farm, and, properly cared for, the ma- nure made from it is worth not less than BIO. Into the surface by the last har- rowing we should put not less manure than was made from our hay properly fed with grain, etc. Sow the wheat, using $4 worth of some good and relia- ble brand of phosphate or bonedust per acre.
 This method cleans the land of all foul | weeds more effectually than the best summerfallow, and does not cost near as much. Once plowed with extra care, $2, 50; subsequent cultivation and ma nuring, $5; phosphate, $4; one years interest, $6; aggregate per acre, $17.5O, and well manured and top-dressed, as against $23, and no manure, saving of $5. 50, and sure one year with another ot producing twice the grain and more than twice as likely to secure good catch of grass, and to produce twice the hay in subsequent years. If we are going to compete with the cheap lands of the West, what we want, and must have, is paying crop from our high priced land every year, and at the same time we must so cultivate that our lands shall constantly improve under our system of culture. Both these results can be se- cured by the newer and better method, aud neither of them can be, by the old method of summerfallowing however well done, and the sooner we entirely abandon it the better for us and our farms. .-J & Wood,Dard, Niagara | IDn,1f,y " y