The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-09-28
PREPARING FOR AND SOWING
FALL WHEAT.

| undoubtedly worked over several
times, and it remains for the farmer to
get 1T into the best possible condition
before seeding time arrives The amount
OF working required will depend some
what upon the character of the soil and
it's condition at time of blowing, 1t is
very seldom that fall wheat ground is
we'll prepared. It must be disked, har-
rowed and rolled until all the clods are
/ broken, and the particles of soil packed
pretty closely together. There is no
danger of working wheat land too
much, provided the ground is moder
ately dry. If moisture is ebundant,
care must be used, as in preparing
ground for crops in spring.
Many neglect careful fining and conc
pacing Of wheat ground. Tpey claim
that 1t is better to have the surface
rough so that the snow will be held and
the tender plants protected. While
there may be some advantage in this,
| it is not to be considered. II the soil
is loose and the openings between the
particles large, the ground will dry out
so rapidly that the young wheat plants
perish or are badly stunted during the
fail, even if there Is sufficient moisture
to germinate the grain. Growth will
be SO feeble that the plant will fall an
easy prey to insect pests and the heev
ing effect Of frosts. It hes been clearly
demonstrated that vigorous plant will
resist the attack Of pests quite effect
ually. In fact, the best way TO fight
chinch bugs iato secure by fertilizlng
heavily a strong rapid growth. The
increase in the yield of grain more
than pays for the fertil z3r and the ex
pense of apply ing it.
In some OF the Central Western
States wheat is still sown broadcast
upon the ground soon after it ia plowed
and then covered with g harrow. The
practice has nothing to commend it ex
| cept the small amount Of labor required
to put IN the crop. Failures or partial
failures are the rule, ard it is only
when conditions are unusually favor
able that full crop is secured. The
method ought to be abandoned, as it is
not only unproftable, but an evidence
of slOvenly farming.
OF all the drills now in use the press
drill commends itself. The grain is
put in the ground to a good depth and
the soil above the seed is compacted 80
that the moisture will be retained until
the berry terminates and gets suff Nent
rootage to maintain the plant. The
common eight hoe drill is still very
popular and does good work. Some
manufacturers attach a short chain to
each hoe so that 1t drags directly be
hind and in a measure compacts the
soil above the seed. Drills where the
grain Is covered by disks or two blades
coming together several inches back of
the hoe, have been used extensively
and with satisfaction. Any implement
that will put the grain into the ground
to depth of two or three inches and
cover it we'll will usually be sesisfac
tory.
For the latitude of central Illinois,
Indiana and Ohio, from Sept. 1O5h to
| 30Th, Is the ideal time for wheat seed
! ing, to be varied somewhat according
to circumstances. If there is a proba
bility Of attacks from Hessian fly, it
may pay to delay the seeding until the
eggs have been laid in volunteer grain
or strips sowed early for this purpose,
then turned under to complete the de
struction. AS a rule, however, early
sowing is sdvisable and one year with
another the largest crops are raised
from it.
Sowing small grains in standing corn
still has a few advocates. This is an
other method that is the cause Of fre
uuent failure and almost invariably a
small yield. Usually the ground is
hard and weedY. The grain does not
get sufficient covering, the stand is
usually poor, and the growth not sUf1,
ciently vigorous to Withstand a severe
winter, or pests of any kind. The only
excuse for sowing wheat in this man,
ner is when it is desired to get a corn
field into grass as soon as possible with
out losing a crop Of grain. By sowing
the grass seed with the wheat in au
tumn, acrop Of hay can of5sn besecured
the following season, provided condi-
tions have been very favorable.
1t never pays to grow half or third
of a crop under any circumstances,
and particularly when a paying one
can be secnred by nnGting little more