The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-08-26
Where to Sow Wheat.
Fred .Grundv in Agricultural Epitomist.

Fred. Grundy in Agricultural Eptomist.
A mile from me lives man who has 80
acres of as fine wheat as | ever saw growing.
Across the road his neighbor sowed 20 acres
of the same variety of wheat, and he has
plowed il up and planted corn where wheat
should have stood Half mile farther are 20
acres, same kind of wheat, that will yield 10
bushels per acre. A mile farther on are II
acres Of rs fine wheat as ever grew 1t will
yield, like the field first mentioned, 80 or more
bushels per acre. The land in all these fields
is about alike-level prairie Then why this
difference in the crops? The 80 acre and II
acre fields were clover sod. The wheat on the
20 aeres that was plowed up was sown among
corn. The 20 that yield scant half crop was
oats ground. Fully 70 per cent. more labor
was expended on this oats ground in prepar-
ing it for seeding last fall than on the clover
sod. We can drive over the country in any
direction and find the same conditions exist
ing.
WHEAT oN CLOVER SOD.
am asked by subscriber, who says he
has lost two crops. if It will be worth while
To try it again If you have clover sod TO
turn down, or land that is one year from n
clover sod, yes. Ii not no. Let me add
that next winter may be an exceptional one;
winter that viii be so favorable that any
kind Of wheat plant will live through it. 1t
will pay to SOW wheat il the land is especially
adapted to its growth, or has been prepared
for it with a preyieus crop. have never
known winter wheat that was sown on properly
prepared clover sod To fail but once, aud then
all wheat was killed outright by 10 below
zero snap, following long warm, wet spell.
Rarely is wheat badly damaged by severe
winter weather if il is on land one year from
/ clover sod. This Is because many of the old
| clover roots are still in the subsoil, aud the
roots Of the wheat plant following them down,
obtain such a deep, firm hold that only the
worst heaving conditions can break them, or
/ lift the plant
UNDESIRABLE WHEAT LAND.
/ 1t will not pay to SOW wheat on land from
! which all available nitrogen has been washed
| or burned. nor on land that is rough or full
| of trash. The soil must be well supplied with
| fertility, especially nitrogen that is imme
/ iiately available or the growth will be weak
1 and the root hold poor II must be perfectly
| free of trash-eoarSe, undecayed material
/ and it must be mellow and fine to a depth of
/ at least three inches and the sub-soil must
| be well supplied with moisture. \ fine, mel
! low surface and moist subsoil can be secured
/ only by blowing shallow Immediately after
/ the crop is removed, and discing or double
| narrowing, repeated after every shower. Or,
/ if no showers fall, rediscing and narrowing
/ =
until the soil becomes baked and cloddy,
nine seasons ont of 10 it is useless to begin it
| at all.
| IDEAL WHEAT LAND.
| The ideal wheat land is clover sod; and
next after that, land upon which a crop OF
COW peas or soy beans has been grown. Cow
peas make a plendid preparatory crop for
| wheat. They belong to that class Of legumes
| that have the peculiar power of taking nitro
gen from the air and depositing it in the soil,
They deposit far more than they use, and the
! vast quantity left in the soil when they are
| harvested is in form that is Immediately
| available to the succeeding crop; if wheat is
sown the plants take it up at once and thrift
ty, sturdy. frost-reSiSting growth is the result.
| | am satisfied that the time IS coming when
| no scientific farmer will think of sowing win
| ter wheat in the older sections of the country
without first preparing the soil for 1t with
| clover, COW peas or some other legume.