Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-02-23
GROWING WHEAT.
Changes In Methods as Recounted by
New York Farmer.

Changes In Methods as Recounted by
New York Farmer.
Some years ago the seed bed for wheat
in western New York summer fallow-
ing was regarded as a necessity. AL
though wheat was sometimes sown after
spring grain, and even after corn, har-
vested early and removed from the
ground by great expenditure of labor,
that was not the approved plan and was
only resorted to when the high price of
wheat made it seem desirable to extend
rs much as possible the breadth sowed.
AS early as practicable the teams were
put to breaking up the summer fallow,
which was often a tough sod that had
been in grass for many years. In turn
ing the sod it was rule not to com
pletely invert the furrow, but to lap it
two or three inches on the preceding fur
row.
After the fallow ground was plowed
the aim was to keep weeds and grass
subdued by frequent use of the harrow.
When the sod was sufficiently rotted, it
was cross plowed and thoroughly har-
rowed. Not infrequently the fallow was
plowed the third time and even fom
times. The wheat was then sometimes
sowed broadcast upon the rough fur
rows, although many would give the
field light narrowing first. If any
manure was applied, it was generally
done before the last blowing and buried
as deeply as possible.
With tbic fran t1naOt 1npllnxy Good
bed was prepared five to eight inches in
depth, and the roots of the wheat grew
long before the ground was frozen. The
effect of the earth expansion i'll freezing
was to draw the long roots upward, and
when it contracted in thawing the crowns
were liable to be left out of the ground.
When freezing and thawing were several
times repeated, the roots would some
times be entirely lifted out and lie bare
upon the surface, winter killed. 1t is a
well known fact that wheat is not so gen
orally winter killed under the present
methods of preparing the seed bed as I'M
der those that prevailed 40 years ago.
Probably undertaking has had much to
do in preventing heaving, but even on
undrained land there is much less winter
killing than formerly.
Some time in the fifties farmers began
/ to change their methods. They could
not afford to expend so much labor and
devote the use of the land for two years
to a crop of wheat when it was so I'M
tain. They began to grow variety OF
crops in rotation. Instead of breaking
up sod for wheat, they hauled out the
manure as it was made in the winter and
spread it on the sod, which they turned
under in spring for corn and potatoes
This was followed the next spring by
barley or oats, and after harvesting the
spring grain the ground was prepared
! for wheat. Sometimes. after the barley
or oats stubble was turned under. ma
nure, partly rotted was spread upon thu
surface and narrowed in. In other case
commercial fertilizers, superphosphate
mostly. were drilled in with the seed
AS large yields were produced in thi
way as by summer following.
In the summer fallow, the last plow
ing left the seed bed mellow to the dept
of the furrow BY the present methot
the aim is to make about three inches o
the surface very fine and mellow, and t,
compact the soil below that depth. Thi
is effected by repeated borrowings AM
rollings. The aim is also to keep tn
fertilizers applied near the surface. TIL
result is the roots of the wheat do no
grow so long i'll autumn, but form
thick, fbrous mass within the shalloy
seed bed near the surface. Then, whe
the surface soil is expanded by freezin
and contracted in thawing, the mass c
fine roots rises and falls without bein
,, broken or heaved upon the surface. Thi
practice, says New York correspondent
of The American Agriculturist, the AT
thority for the foregoing, to great el
tent removes the liability to winter xii
ing from heaving, once considered
very important contingency in whea
growing.