The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1895-01-26
FOR THE FARMERS.

VII LIZ LlOD.
USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT FARM
WORK.
Regulates to Successful Wheat Gull
t~ure-selecting Cows In Scotland
Care Of Implements-Weeds Among
POtatOes-NOtes.
We, as wheat producers, should i'm
rlCve our methods of producing wheat
so as to improve the quality and in
crease the quantity. First, by selecting
the very best varieties Of wheat adapt
ed to. the locality in which it is to
be sown. The seed must be pure and
free from all other seeds and wheat
pests. The improved Eultz does we'll
here. Reference throughout this a'ti-
Gle Is made to winter wheat, as spring
v heat is not grown in this vicinity.
10 obtain the best results SOW on old
pasture land which has been run to
clover for a number Of years.
The sod should he plowed to a dep1n
Of from four to five inches, rs carry
as the latter part of June or first OF
July. Let the ground rest after ploW-
ing until les seeding time. The time
of seeding depends upon the season,
Hessian fly, chinch bug, grasshepper
and other wheat pests. The land
should be we'll drained naturally or ar
tiicially. In further preparation or the
field, go over the ground with a disk
harrow, a drag, a harrow and a roller.
The ground should be we'll pulverized
and packed. To do this, use the best
implements the market affords.
On a clover sod in this section of the
country we SOW from the 10th to d
20 tn of September. A press drill Is
used, sowing from a depth Of IL to
2 inches. Experience. teaches that
deeper sowing aus the wheat to
come up slowly and makes 1t puny.
The amount sown is from sixty to sixty
five pounds to the acre. If land has not
been run to clover, our next choice
would be oat or wheat stubble to seed
to wheat. AS early as possible after
taking the oat or wheat crop of, burn
the stubble; even if you have to NOW
the field to do SO. The yield Will be
found to be one-third better after burn
ing the stubble than by turning under.
The ground is in this way freed from
pests with which farmers are now hav-
ing to contend. The ground should be
plowed about four inches deeD. Fur
ther cultivation, before seeding, should
be similar to that of clever sod, and
requires about the same amount OF
seed. The seed should be sown about
the same time of seascn on the stubble
land as on the clover sod.
Had T neither clover sod nor stubble
field to SOW to wheat, the next choice
is the cornfield. We Use a one-horse
drill and sow about seventy pounds tc
the acre. The time of sowing in the
corn may be earlier than on the clover
sod or stubble, from the LIST to the
10th of September, because the insects
have something besides the young
wheat to sap. The amount should be
| greater in the corn than on sod OF
stubble to allow for loss by corn gath
| ering and by pasturing the stalks. The
proper time to harvest should b.
known. This cannot be a set date, AZ
seasons are not always the same. Oh
serve the wheat itself.
AS SOOlt SS Tic SIdL1 ID lu1ly uuAIuACS
and the straw a bright yellow, cut the
wheat. Do not wait until the heads
begin to droop, for then the wheat is
dead ripe, and is liable to waste more
or less. When the wheat has beer
| thoroughly dried, stack it, allowing il
| to remain in stack from four to six
| weeks. 1t will then be found to be in
the best condition for the market
| It will be observed that nothing has
been said as to fertilizers used. Clio
| yer is the main fertilizer. Barn YARD
manure and rotten straw are scattered
on the clover field before the ground
thaws in spring. With a systematic
rotation Of crops the ground is renewe
| without commercial fertilizers.
Summing up the important points in
| successful production of wheat, We no
| tice that the selection Of we'll drained
| fertile soil, clover sod preferred, should
be adhered to. The ground should be
made into a compact seed bed. The
| time of seeding depends largely upoI
| the season. The seed must be of tho
| best. The best is obtained by care il
production and renewing at intervals
from distant localities. We wheat pro
| ducers need not to be discouraged al
the present low prices, as the cost Of
| production is less than in former years
and the yield greater when properly
managed. Our aim now should be t.
improve the quality, thereby increasing
the price and justifying an increase
in the quantity. j. A. Hill.