The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-09-11
EARLY FLOWING FOR WHEAT

The following is condensed from an
article by John M. Stahl, published in
a recent issue of the Country Gentle
man. It was written with special ref
erence to winter wheat, but contains
many facts that r equally true when
applied to spring wheat. "7f4~ "
The basis of successful wheat grow
ing is early blowing of the ground.
For this there are several reasons.
First, early blowing permits that pro
per fitting of the seed bed which is
impossible when the blowing is defer
red. Experience has conclusively
shown that the seed bed for wheat
should be most thoroughly pulverized
and compacted. It should receive
more work than the seed bed for corn,
oats or grass. ~
In the fitting Of the soil for the re.
ception of the seeds, its reduction to
fine particles is a most important part.
The finer the soil particles, considering
the probable limit Of pulverization, the
more generally and equally will the
moisture be distributed through and
retained in the SOIL t~9iaali5@5 81
The finer the particles of the soil,
other things being equal, the more
readily and literally will the soil yiely
food to the plants. By ,compacting
the ground-7bringing closer together
the small and at this season somewhat
dry partieles-we increase the degree
of these conditions favorable to GERM
nation and growth. noizs2oo gS.@9-s-
In the disintegration and compac
ton Of the seed bed, the forces of
nature are most valuable apxiliaries.
In fact, to the best accomplishment of
the work they are indispensable. No
work with harrow and drag will put
Jumps in a condition quite sodgood as
when there is the aid of showers, with
the sun and atmosphere setting to
work even before the rain stops, By
blowing earlier we make q longer sea.
son for rain, dew, sun, and air; and
they work for nothing and Board and
lodge themselves. Clearly the more
work they do for us the better. 4 When
we pillow early we may often1take ad.
vantage. Of favorable conditions, using
harrow, and drag shortly after a
shower, when the clods easily crrumble.
AS the sun, air, rain and dew Ipuullvy1err..
ize and disintegrated the soil, s., do
they compact it; and as they make
conditions which increase the produe1
tivityo of our labor of pulverizing,, so
90 they increase the compaetion-re-
s S1lh1 directly from. our exertions.
The earlier the ground is plowed the
more easily and the better n may aJ5ttIhp the
seed!bed be prepared D97oqoIG' Ho51
BY blowing early we may also in.
crease the amount lofbmoisture avail
able to the plants when they are apt
to stand in need of all they can get
AS long as the, ground is unplowed,
amount Of moisture in it available
agricultural plants constantly
diminishes.: Hence the earlier We
stop, by blowing this waste OF an!
already scant supply OF moisture the
But blowing alone does not
,udilcee;:9 The harrow and roller, or
drag ought to follow close after
he plowT 1t is q sad mistake to leave
ground loose and lumpy, as It is
'urned up BY the ploww,i Is dry and
harden. Twice a day. before noon
md before quitting for the day, 90
'Ver the Iplowed ground with the harg
.ow and drag, or roller; and as rapidly
hereafter as, circumstances and a lust,
consideration Of economical conditions,
vii permit, reduce the ground to that
condition essential to the best tcaounssesr ser:
tation OF MOISTURE ggersminatfotn Of the
eed, and 7growthtof the plant go15ed@
2nByei blowing early weopurify our
and tot noxious insects. 5la AT, this
7H many exist as Larvae, or in
ONE other stage of transformation,
ONE inches, below the surface. By
lowing the ground, and occasionally
it afterwards, we expose these
nemies of u crops to the birds, and
f course the earlier o we plow,y the
,nger0 the exposure For the work
+ keeping down our insect pests we
lust look largely to the birds, Il
mink that even yet many of us fail
lilly to realize the magnitude of the
eneft conferred by the birds q ANY
fatality among the birds is
'llowud by unusual insect Ldepredao
ons. o. Flowing and Gfrequently hara :
owing, to expose them to the birds,
the only way to combat, upon a
ale commensurate with our farming
methods may answer in the.
ardenl such enemies as the wire.
orm, the ant worm and b mhita