The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-09-12
Preparing Corn Ground For yvhea,

The usual manner in which corn
land is prepared for wheat is to have
cultivation cease at harvest. then wait
until the corn is cut up. harrow the
ground over and then drill on the
wheat.
This is one of the reasons why corn
land is not considered good for wheat
by so many farmers. Waiting until
the corn is ripe enough to cut up,
nearly always makes it too late for
wheat. Corn land for some reason.
does not push the young wheat plant
along as fast as some other land,
hence ii Is very important that the
wheat be sown quite early in order to
get good root and top so it will be-
better able to stand the severe freez-
ing and thawing during the winter.
This large growth of root and top
cannot be obtained if you have TO
wait until the corn is cut up. There
is one-horse wheat drill, with five
hoes, invented that entirely over
comes this difficulty, and often paws
for itself three or four times over in
sowing twenty acres of wheat. We
would not attempt TO SOW wheat after
corn if we always had to wait until
the corn was cut. However, some
times this can't be helped for wind
storm may blow the corn down so it
would be impossible to go through it
with a horse
We put n great deal OF work on our
wheat land and consider it time well
spent. ! might say that we never saw
anything else but corn land. and this
IS the way we do it. Our corn is kent
cultivated all through July and August
and not Il weed is allowed to grow
This frequent cultivation not only
helps to make better corn crop, but
keeps the ground clean and mellow
and helps to conserve the moisture.
which will be needed to help start the
wheat.
The last week in August We com
mcuce the final preparation of the
ground for wheat. We use cultiva.
tors with five teeth or shovcls not less
than four inches wide Our cultiyn
tors are set wido enough 60 reach
across by going twice in a row. We
go through both ways twice i'm q row
and then finish for the drill by going
once in row with a twelve or four
teen tooth cultiyator set wide enough
to complete IA row at once through
This is merely 60 level the ground So
to work better with the drill.
We then have complete shallov
seed bed that has been tumblcd about
and thoroughly mixed together with
these wide cultvator teeth There f..
something about this thorough mi,
ing OF the soil that "lcIIg" ON the
growing crop. ~ makes moro plant
food available $50 the crop can use iliu.
making its growth II some doubt
the benefit Of this Jet them try 1T for
themselves
We want to sow our wheat from the
first TO the tenth of September. and bv
using the one horse drill. we can do
this, leaving as 60 cut our corn ~ our
leisure. However. H. is best to cut
the corn as soon us 10 will do. and io
get the corn and fodder on the ground
oa soon rs practicable ion tho benefit
of tho wheat Taking on the corn
nc'casarllv muses. uD the wheat and
makes ~ look for the time like much
injury was done. Bu' soon tho wheat
will cover mp all these little iumric.
by it's growth and at harvest time
nothing viii be noticed except whore
tho shock OF corn stood. and ihia apoi
viii be grca " reduced
Wheat grown IN this way can be-
grown moro cheaply than in any other
way, and II done In the right manner
we will not hear so much about corn
ground not being good for wheat
j. n. Cowdrey, ia Harm. Fiald spd
Fireside