The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-09-01
Preparing the Soil for Wheat.

ran wheat seeding Is not so far dls-
tant that good farms can afford TO defer
attention to plane. There are so many
considerations affecting profit in rails
ing Winter wheat that one must be
well acquainted with all the conditions
or be subjected to losses quite too fire.
quent to make the crop a pleasant one
to contemplate. One of the chief re.
quirements is the mechanical fitting of
the soil 1t is of such great importance
that it hardly ranks below the chief re-
quirement. Even fertility is not more
essential than mechanical preparation
of the soil. 1t is true, land must have
certain natural fitness for wheat to be
used proftably for this crop, but this
fitness is of no avail on lands, except
when preparation is complete.
Winter wheat is crop exceedingly
fastidious in its demands. The soil may
be heavy, or light, and yet capable of
producing full crops, but haphazard,
careless methods in preparation of land
exceedingly favorable, rarely result sat
isfactorily. As to the soil nothing is
better than clay loan, provided efficient
drainage is hal. Without drainage
the X of lose is so great that pru
dent farmer will rarely attempt wheat
raising under such a condition Drain
age may be natural through porous
subsoil as in alluvial lands, but il not
so provided there must be artificial
drains sufficient to meet every require
ment. OF course, this kind of prepara.
tior cannot be made within the month
or two proceeding the time for sowing
seed Heavy clay lands, we'll under
drained, after two or three years of such
draining if duly supplied with the ele-
ments of growth may be excellent for
wheat, but if not so drained the crop is
very likely to be killed by the lifting
process involved in the freezing aud
thawing of March and April No
amount of preparation of such lands
will avail without drainage.
This provided, the next step is to re-
duce the soil to the finest tilth through
frequent cultivation to bring requisite
mechanical fitness. This is more easily
affected with lands suitably drained be
cause there is less liability to turn up
clods, and if clods appear, they are so
far disintegrated by the previous pro.
cesses of drainage that they soon fall
to pieces. Too much stress can not be
placed upon what is properly styled
mechanical fitness for the crop, this
finding of the soil necessary to permit
the thread-like roots to penetrate in
seaech of nutriment and moisture and
10 remain always in close contract with
the soil. 1t may be said of wheat es
pecially that the roots abhor vacuum
Beneath the surface there must be
close, compact, yet fine soil, or the
roots will not get suitable development
and whatever abundant to supply, i,
will not be available, hence the neces
sity of giving great care to the fitting
as the prime condition of success
AS to the manure there are many
ways of applying it. Doubtless the
best is to incorporate it with the soil,
as for instance if barnyard manure b,
used, it may be spread before the frs
blowing, to be turned in and afterwards
thrown back to the surface and inter
mixed by every process of cultivation
so that the soil wherever reached by
the roots shall respond to their demand
This is the best way. taking account o
series OF years on wheat farm, bu
not for immediate returns. In SOM
instances where grass is regarded witt
even more favor than wheat, it ma,
be always better to spread the manur
on the surface just previous to sowin.
the seed. The advantages of tbi
course are, first the decent of soluble
portions into the soil through the rain
that follow, thus giving much the SAM
result as when the manure is incorpor
ated. Second that grass seed subse
quently sown, may have nourishmen
and vigorous growth earlier in the sea
son than when the manure is worke,
into the soil by the plow. Ia this view
the grass crop constituting the basi
of all grain farming, surface applica
tions may be counted as more protitabl
than turning the manure in by the plow
The former is preferable when the man
ure is mixed with course stuff, tn
waste of the stables, unrotted. wher,
the substance is used on heavy soils
The mechanical effect in such case i,
admirable, the coarse manure loosen
the soil, and thereby brings degree o
fitness not otherwise attainable, no
even by extended cultivation. Thos
who use commercial fertilizers find tn,
greatest advantage in using them wit
barnyard manure, bat in all cases OF
the surface to be worked in by the han
row or drill Whatever method b
adopted in regard to the use of manure
the necessity remains to work the sol
TO proper tilth in order that the see
bed may have the fneness required
HuSbandmen.