Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-09-28
Sowing Wheat.

A perfect wheat soil, as has been re-
peatedly stated on this page, must con-
tain lime, potash, phosphate and nitro
gen in their various combinations with
other mineral elements, and in due pro-
portions, and at the same time be suffi-
GENTLY porous to permit water to pass
down readily and leave the surface dry
and firm. Lime soils are especially
adapted to wheat. Sandy and grayelly
soils by liberal manUring can be made
productive, and no means perhaps are
more effective than clover and plaster or
gypsum.
Soils that yield good clover crops will
yield good wheat crops, and clover
sod is one Of the best natural prepare
tons for wheat. Not few cultivators
seed corn ground to wheat. Some SOW
wheat among the standing corn, but
this is not largely practised, as it leaves
the surface of the land in bad order.
Others cut up the corn and plow and
SOW wheat The lateness of this opera
ton is an objection in many sections.
Other cultivatOrs select an eat field or
fallow land. There is a great diversity
of opinion IN regard to sowing wheat
after barley or oats. Many successful
farmers do it; while, on the other hand,
many consider the practice a careless
one and unworthy of good husbandry.
The relative merits of drill and broad
cast sowing of wheat are discussed every
season, The area seeded with the drill,
according to recent reports, amounts to
| fifty-seven per cent. in the wheat-grow-
ing States. Where the soil is in good
condition and free from Instructions in
| the way of rocks and stumps, the pref
erence is almost invariably for drilling.
Among the advantages claimed fer drill
ing are saving of seed and placing the
fertilizer in closer proximity to the seed.
A great argument in favor of drilling is
that it must be preceded by thorough
culture. Many farmers roll their land
just before the drill to solidify the sur
face, while the soil is left loose under
meath.
Clover and field-peas are accepted as
among the cheapest and best renOvators
| of the soil and produce excellent results,
! especially in thin soils. The application
of lime increases the yield of any of the
grain crops and is beyond question bene-
| ticial to wheat, but viii exhaust the land
| If persevered in without rotation. After
wheat is soWn lime is often advantage
Ously used as top dressing when mixed
with ashes, muck, etc. Where the use of
fertilizers is confined to the practice OF
spreading them over the ground and
blowing in, or scattering over the sur
face and narrowing in previous to sowing
the seed, the operation of fertilizing is
confined to stated periods of the year.
But where the practice is adopted Of
surface manuring after termination and
growth has been made, the work of man.
uring may go on from fall until spring,
and in that way the winter accumulation
of manure be used. In no case is it well
to spread manure heavily enough to in.
duce rank growth and thus endanger the
crop by lodging or rust. In applying
ground bone and the superphosphitesO on
Wheatit is generally sown broadcast.
Better drainage and better tillage are
each year being given by professional,
wheat cultivatOrs, who have also dis
covered that there is a happy medium
between very thick and very thin seed
ing.-N 7. World.