The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-09-16
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WHEAT AFTER POTATOES.
Successful Wheat Grower Describel
His Methods for the Benefit of Others.

A Successful Wheat Grower Describes
His Methods for the Benefit of Others.
One of New Jerseys farmers, who is
sn advocate Of fertilizers, and further
more especially successful with his
wheat, was interviewed by Rural New
Yorker with regard to this crop. Fol-
lowing are some of the facts elected
during the interview. DR.. Coombs, the
farmer in question, has 200 acres and
grows corn, potatoes, wheat and hay.
He uses all stable manure on corn and
heavy dressings of fertilizers on pota-
toes The success of his wheat depends
largely upon the fertilization and culti-
vation of the potatoes. This is the way
he prepares his land, as told in his own
words:
When the field has been in potatoes
we do not plow for wheat. We always
dig potatoes with horse potato digger,
and after this we complete the prepara-
ton of the field for wheat with spring
tooth harrow or with cultivator and
an Acme or other good pulverizing and
crushing harrow, and afterward a
Thomas smoothing harrow. We use a
grain drill six feet in width with eight
or nine tubes. AS usual with these drills,
the seed and fertilizer are put in separate
compartments, but they pay out together
through the tubes in rows seven to nine
inches apart and are covered to the depth
of two to three inches. We adjust the
drill to the gauge of 500 pounds per acre.
The quantity of seed we use per acre
varies with the variety, also with early
or late seeding. We have used one va
riety, Martin Amber, at only three pecks
per acre, and yet there could be seen no
difference at any of the later stages of the
growth of the crop between this and an
other piece where one and half bushels
of the variety Fultz had been sown; nor
was there any difference in the yield. In
late sowing where the tillering is not
apt to be so good there should be an in
creased quantity of seed used. OF late
we have been using Rochester red, and
at the rate of two bushels per acre. ]
like to get my wheat all sown by Sept.
~. This is early enough to admit Of
good start before winter, and it is late
enough when we'll fed with fertilizer to
have good chance to escape the Hessian
fly and other injurious insects. Since
we have used fertilizers instead of farm
manure on the wheat /, in common with
nearly all grain growers, SOW very much
later than formerly.
Of late years have invariably fol-
lowed my potato crop with wheat, and
as fertilize the potatoes literally, say
1900 to 1000 pounds of potato manure
per acre, do not use much fertilizer Oh
the wheat crop, finding from experience
that enough Of the plant food from the
potato manure is left to insure the
wheat and subsequent grass crops. !
use the complete manure. "a" brand,
say, $50 to 800 pounds per acre. If the
field has not been in potatoes or other
crop that has been literally manured,
then l use the complete manure for
heavy soils, 500 pounds per acre, or the
complete manure for general use. This
may seem a large quantity of a high
grade complete manure to use ON the
wheat, but am led to adopt it as the re-
suit of practical experience in my
early use Of these fertilizers. do not
use farm manure for wheat. What ]
have use on corn: sometimes on grass
lands after moving.