The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-09-13

WHEAT CULTIVATION.
How to Prepare the Land and
How to Sow.
of The Robesonian.

In my last communication |
promised to give your readers
some points on the cultivation of
wheat in this section, as far as |
am able to understand from past
experiences in the more extern
sive Wheat-groWing sections of
this State. And in doing so, |
will also venture some advice on
the preparation and fertilizers,
as we'll as the selection of most
suitable soil for its production in
Robson county.
First, | will say that the closer
(more compact and harder) the
soil, where the drainage is good,
the better it is for wheat. Even
in the up counties, where much
wheat is raised, the best wheat
growers are careful to select
land that is not Of a loose, puffy
nature, for the wheat, and put
oats and corn where the land is
not so desirable for wheat. So
it is, with this idea in your mind,
easy to find your best land for
wheat.
Next, | will say that if the land
| selected for wheat had been
cultivated in corn and peas this
year, and had much vegetation
on it, / would broadcast, say one
ton to 5 acres, of shell lime, run
over the land with a stalk cutter,
disk harrow, or manage to cut all
the stalks, pea vines, etc.; then
turn with a plow, all under dur
ing the month of September, if
at the very last of the month,
and leave it until last of Octo-
ber, or any time in November will
do, as | have known some fine
wheat raised that was planted in
December, and wheat is often
planted in western South Caro-
lima during the month of Janu-
ary.
Now the planting comes, after
the land has lain plowed from,
say, middle of September to last
Of October, with the shell lime in
it. Various ways are adopted in
planting wheat. Some broadcast
both wheat and guano from the
hand and harrow the ground, if
the condition of the land will not
require another blowing. The
farmer must be his own Judge
about that; but | will say, never
ploW the wheat in with any kind
of turning ploWs. Common drag
harrows are better than turning
ploWs, as wheat should never be
planted more than one to two
inches deep. But use the wheat
drill, called the hoe drill, that
distributes the guano and wheat
all in the same row, with but
little trouble, and does the work
more perfectly as any quantity
desired, both wheat and guano,
may be put to the acre.
If the land selected for plant
ing is strong enough in fertility
to grow 25 bushels of corn or Z
to one bale of cotton to the acre,
900 pounds of any good standard
fertilizer will grow Is to 80 bush
els of Wheat;and with favorable
winter for wheat-growing, may
yield as much as 35 bushels;
while better land will grow 40
bushels to the acre.
The reason | speak of shell
lime for a first dressing is that
all land needs lime enough in the
soil to make the straw healthy
and strong to keep it with a
heavy head from falling down
fast as it ripens.
1t is hardly probable that all
who plant wheat this fall can
get the lime | speak of or secure
a wheat drill, but any one can do
the best they can in planting. So
l VIII say that it will pay to first
break up the land we'll before
planting, then when the time for
iplanting comes broadcast the
wheat like you would oats and
rye, putting one bushel to the
acre on common land, and what
ever quantity Of fertilizer to the
acre the same way and then ha1
row or drag the wheat under ir
some good way. | have knowl
the land we'll ploWed, the whea
and fertilizer broadcast from tn
hand, and then the top O
some brushy small tree, tha
has many limbs, dragged
over the land by a hors
in the manner of a drag-harroU
! or clod-masher, and a good crol
Of wheat harvested.
hope to plant 8 to 10 bushel
4 this fall and will use one to tw
4 tons of shell lime on the Ian
when | have it first broken uE
then when | plant | may use
drill and put 400 to 600 pounC
to the acre of guar o; and in til
month of February if | thin
soda will do any good | may p'
25 to so lbs soda to the acre an
= see what / can make IN commt
land in this county. If / had GOO
lot and stable manure | Wou
use that instead Of the shell lin
as it would be much better
: enough is used to do any good.
J. F. Hamilton.
Red Springs, NC, Sept.7 o
- Clyde Fitch, easily one of t
- most prolific of younger Anne
can dramatists, died at Chalo