The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-12-13
Wheat After Corn.

Many farmers in the Northern States
would be glad to grow winter wheat if,
without much risk, they could make it
follow corn. But there seems to be an
impression that the corn crop cannot be
taken from the ground as early as win
ter wheat should be sown. Consequent
~ it is the common practice either to
SOW rye (Which can be safely put in
later than wheat) or else leave until the
next year the land from which the corn
is removed and then sow spring in
stead of winter wheat.
That late-sown wheat at the North
often proves failure cannot be denied.
But unless the delay is extreme, it is
probable that in large proportion of
cases failure is due far less to late SOW
ing than it is to other causes. While
extremely late sowing is never to be
recommended, there is little doubt that
if other things receive proper atten-
ton. grain soWn moderately late will
yield good crop. 1t will certainly
yield better than sowing on land in
which the other conditions are unfavor-
able.
Among the essentials to success in
growing winter wheat after corn may be
named the following:
The corn should be cut as soon as
ripe, and removed from the land as
soon as it is dry enough to be easily
handled.
The land should be plowed to mod
crate depth, and all the corn-stubs
which are not well covered should be
carted from the field.
The land must be rich. If it was
not heavily MANFRED for the corn crop,
it should receive a dressing of fine com
post or of well-rotted manure. A mod
crate quantity of lime or ashes would
also prove of great benefit. If none
of these materials are at hand in suffi-
cient quantities, some standard chemic-
al fertilizer should be applied. Even
on land that is in high condition it will
pay to use lime, ashes or some chemic-
al fertilizer. Whatever manure Is
used for this crop, it should be applied
to the surface and narrowed in.
The surface soil must be thoroughly
pulVerized. This is of the utmost i'm
portance. Yet it is right here that
many farmers fail. They prepare the
land as well as they do for corn, and
think that is all that is required They
overlook the fact that in the early
stages of it's growth wheat is a delicate
plant, which needs to have the soil fit
ted for it in the most careful manner.
and which needs plenty of plant food
near the surface, and in form in
which it is Immediately available.
Good seed, of some well-knoWn and
thoroughly tested variety, should be
sown. This, whatever the time of SOW
ing, is always essential. Drilling is
better than broadcast sowing, and re-
quires less seed. One bushel per acre,
if drilled, or one and one-half, if
broadcast, will probably be sufficient,
though some prefer larger quantity.
If the land is not very carefully pre-
pared, from twenty-five to fifty per
cent. more seed viii be required.
Rolling, after the seed has been sown.
will prove an advantage
If the land is naturally wet and has
not been drained, large burrows should
be plowed as soon as sowing is finished,
to carry off the surplus water of heavy
autumn rains and OF the melting snow
in spring.
/ am confident that attention to the
points noted above viii enable many
farmers at the North who wish to grow
winter wheat in small quantities for
home use to obtain good crop from
land which has this year produced a
crop OF corn Cincinnati Enquirer.