The Banner-Democrat., 1901-08-31

American Cultivator.
Quadrupling tho Crops.
The possibilities on an acre OF
ground have never been determined.
There is a limit to the number of BUSH |
els of grain that can be grown upon
an acre, but the majority of farmers
do not even begin to approach the
limit. The largest yields of wheat are
obtained when the crop Is cultivated
with hoes. Such proposition as cul-
tivating wheat by using hoes wouil no
doubt be received with ridicule by the
American farmer, yet there are crops
grown in that manner, and they pay.
In this country a material advance
was made when the grain drill super
seeded broadcast seeding. and the care
full preparation of the soil, SO as 10
make q suitable seei-bed for wheat,
opened the eyes of farmers. compared
with methods in vogue half q century
ago; but there is still more room Tor
Improvement. The fact that land is
cheap in this country enables farmers
to devote more space to crops than Is
necessary, but the time will come when
a dense population and a struggle for
land will force farmers to concentrate
their efforts on smaller areas. When
this country reaches nearly 500 per-
sons to the square mile. as In Bel
gium, the methods of growing all
kinds of crops will be changed. AMI
vet it is not necessary to wait for
dense population to derive the greatest
possible yield from an acre OF land.
The American farmer cannot be In
duced to apply labor by hand II ne
can perform the service with horse
power. He prefers to work a large
field with the aid Of the horse than
to secure larger yields with the hoe.
It may appear Incredible to the
American farmer to be informed that
as many as 100 bushels of wheat per
acre are grown in Belgium; yet such
is the case. In fact, the country Is
so crowded that the Belgium farmer
could not exist unless he was able
| to secure such yields. The farms con-
sist of but few acres. often less than
three of four acres. and some OF the
farmers have only two acres. yet they
| grow winter wheat as a staple crop
| The land is heavily manured In the
| fall. every pound of liquid and solid
manure being carefully savei for thai
purpose. The soil Ia then narrowed
over and over again until the land II
made as fine as possible. the manur'
being spread on the surface. OF th'
plowed land before narrowing. 1t ma.
be mentioned. also. that the manure II
fine. as the bedding ami everything
entering into the manure heap is frs
made fine. Cement floors In tn
stables permit of saving all the liquids
and the soapsuds and other waste ma
terials are added to the manure. Tn
grain is very carefully assorted. onl
the best and plumpest seeis used. an
the seed is sown in prepared seed
bed in the fall. in some location wher
| the plants will not be injured by free;
ing or thawing. and where the plant
can, IL necessary. be covered and pr
tected. In the spring the land is agai
worked fine ami marked on for th
plants, which are transported by ham
In the rows, with dibble. whic
makes q hole the proper depth. or
plant to each hole. the work bein
done by boys and girls, the plant
being one foot apart and the rows
inches apart. though on the very sma
farms the plants are checked one fo'
apart each way.
The crop of wheat is cultivated fro
, the start. Not weed or blade OF gra
is allowed to grow and it is seldo
that the crop fails. But does 1t pa
and would not the labor be too cost
, in this country? It may seem so. b
in this country rs bushels make ss
isfactory crop. II the same land c'
be made to yield 100 bushels there
a balance of rs bushels. worth $50,
, pay for the labor. Or, suppose tn
! SIS is allowed for fertilizer and $25
labor. the Is bushels of the origin
e yield will be clear profit, while the ~
e will be much richer by the operate
2 But If the farmer will plant his whe
e IS inches apart in rows, and plant t
o seeds in each place, one foot apa
r he can then work between the 70
g with a wheel hoe, and If he will che
|, the rows one foot each way he c
straddle the wheat rows with doul
wheel hoe. BY this arrangement
can thin out the plants after he is c
A tain of termination, leaving one pli
,. in a place, and boy can work
o rows one way in day, provided
" land has been first made fine and
n in the best possible condition.
: course, such method differs from q
e used In Belgium, in leaving the pla
:. in the field in winter, whereas the I
,r gian farmer transplants them In spr
. and harrows the land in the fall
70 spring. Even the transplanting is
70 little more tedious than for sweet
q tatoes, but II the American ff6mer
70 test the cultivation Of wheat on 81
4. plot by planting the seed by the ch
N row system, he win md q great dit
ID ence in the yield. and the crop
y. more than pay for the labor. He
.. be compelled to put his manure on
a. land. win make his soil richer. can
:. fertilizers to advantage. viii get ~
ia weeds. and win ind the experfn
nm education. Philadelphia Record,