Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-10-17
wHsAT-RAlsiNo IN THE SOUTH
WEST.

WeoV.
Near the Missouri River, wheat and
corn hold about equal rank, but In the
newer Southwest wheat-raising II the
principal business. With even the hrst
crop In the newer portions. several
headers, binders and steam threshers
are required for each township, and In
the older region dozen steamers can be
seen at work from one point OF View.
Before the headers have left the field,
the plows are often started In prepara-
ton for another crop. while perhaps
the majority of farmers use walking
plows, yet they are nearly all sixteen
great many use the tricycle. riding plows,
and large number the four and slx-
horse gang plows. The best wheat lands
are the smooth prairies and the level,
though somewhat winding, valley lands |;
and Il is quite easy to handle this num-
Der Of horses on these large plows In the
usual half-mile burrows.
In the somewhat dry climate, there are
sometimes periods OF three to slx weeks
In which II Is too dry to plow, % that II
the soil should be In proper condition
there Il a necessity to start the plows at
once as soon as the grain is cut, and the
plowing Il continued, at Intervals, up to
January, or In rare cases until February.
Where there's too great rush, each
days plowing Is narrowed, Wide steel
lever harrows being used, thus tining
the soil, preventing the rapid escape OF
moisture and the formation Of clods, but
this IL often neglected as the desire is to
get the plowing done, when possible,
leaving the narrowing until after light
showers. After the soil Ia once deeply
stirred, many will only plow once In
three or four years, using In the interim
the four to six-horse disk harrow, cut
ting deep and throwing soil rs much as
possible.
While all manner Of seeding IL prac-
ticed, yet the large press drills are In
most common use, as they press the
loose soil over the seed. As to the
amount Of seed there Ia vide diversity
of opinion and practice, aud years OF
experiments will be necessary before
there Il any uniformity. Different soils
and times Of seeding are factors In the
question, so at present it runs from
twenty-four to forty-four quarts per
acre. The time Of seeding would be
easily settled II the character Of the
weather In the following April and May
could be fyretold. The seeding season,
however, extends from September to
February, and II there should be an
abundance Of moisture there will be but
little difference In the yield. The first
sown will give much pasture during the
open, dry winters, and this Is an I'm
portant item. Harvest commences about
May 10th, and while most farmers PIE
fer to have their own binders so as to cut
Just when Il suits them, yet many hire
everything done, and these usually EN-
ploy q heading outfit, which furnishes n
header with It's four to six horses, three
TO four header boxes with the necessary
teams, board themselves, and put the
dry, well-matured grain Ia the stack for
sl.2J per acre.
This wheat has to be well ripened be-
fore heading, as II goes directly In the
stack, so it can be threshed at once II so
desired, and sometimes we see the steam
thresher at work next day. Here there
Is also, In many cases, q complete outfit,
even to kitchen and dinlng-room, con-
yertible at night into sleeping apart
anu Ou WuCSts W ss'~
steamer. The farmer furnishes nothing,
only bin for the grain, aud pays seven
cents per bushel, or II IL is not stacked,
and Il has to be hauled from the shock,
IL Il nine cents per bushel. fthe farmer
wishes to haul In the shocks, he is paid
the same day wages they would have to
pay others. In the Older states there
are many points In wheat culture fairly
well settled, but In the Southwest u Is
largely experimental, though the newer
settler should plow ss early as possible,
tine the soil, get clean seed OF the best
variety, SOW forty quarts per acre about
October lst, using apress drill. III the
wheat makes good growth, pasture II
In dry weather. Cut With binder.
Thresh with machine that has the least
cash outlay. Care for the straw for feed
aud mulching, and he will not 20 Tar
wrong. Thus he has time To learn more
fully by observation and experience, but
with the local elevator market at thirty
eight TO forty-two cents per bushei ne
will not be able to realize very large
profit, depending somewhat upon the
Yield, which last year ranged from nine
TO sixty-two bushels per acre.-Amercan
Agriculturist.