Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-06-25
FIG. Ix-HARvEsrER AT WORK.

less supply of fertility is becoming
worn out. The humus especially has
been used rapidly, with no source of
renewal. Usually it does not take
more than a decade Of continuous
wheat growing to reduce the yield one
half. Conditions In the winter wheat
belt are not so bad, but there is much
room for improvement there also. Not
only is continuous wheat growing hard
on the soil. but it does not distribute
the work evenly throughout the year.
In the spring there is rush to get the
seed in. In the fall there is a still
greater rush to get the crop harvested
and thrashed. The rest of the year
there is little to do. What the wheat
farmer needs is diversification-mo
live stock. more crops and rotation.
The wheat belt and the corn belt
should be mixed up more. Many farm
ers in the corn belt raise wheat as one
Of the leading small grain crops. Many
others would find 1t profitable to do so.
Glasses of Wheat.
Wheat Is divided into two general
classes-winter and spring. Winter
wheat is sown in the fall. makes con-
siderable growth and comes up and
heads out the next season. Spring
wheat Is sown In the spring in much
the same manner as oats. In Mime
sofa. the Dakotas and other states of
the same latitude or farther north
crrfnor fc tbo 1T 2 hot
be grown successfully since the Sc
we're winters are fatal to the fall sown
varieties. In the northwest, however,
the warm winds from the Pacific SO
moderate the climate that winter
wheat can be grown successfully. Ear.
the bulk of the wheat is sown in the fall
There are many objections to winter
wheat. 1t does not make as high 9
quality of flour owing to the smaller
gluten content 1t is the gluten tina,
gives the gummy consistence to bread
dough that causes it to rise wher
mixed with yeast. Winter wheat occa
sionally winter kills. resulting In {
loss of the seed and the work of seed
hg. The most serious objection in the
corn belt is that it does not work IL
well after corn, which Is the accus
toned place for small grain in the 70
tation. These objections are overbal
anced, however. by its greater yield
ing ability. The start which 1t get!
In the fall enables it to come up mucl
more vigorously in the spring and Civ,
about twice as many bushels per acr'
as can be obtained from the sprin,
varieties.
Wheat is further subdivided int
hard and soft varieties. The sof
wheat makes -four that is unsuitet
to breadmaking because of its lack o
gluten. 1t is used extensively in max
Ing crackers. The amount of sof
wheat grown for market is compare
lively small.
A new variety Of wheat known a
macaroni has been introduced into tn
western states within the last fey
years. 1t is very high in gluten an
is much used in the manufacture o
macaroni. 1t does not make a yer
high quality of bread owing to its ye
lowish color The chief advantage Q
macaroni wheat is that 1t can b
grown in regions where the rainfall
too scanty for the standard varieties.
Will Wheat Run out7
There is widespread impressio
that wheat will run out If grown
the same locality for a number c
years. Experiments at number {
stations show that this Is not SO. Th
real cause for wheat running out
continuous culture on the same lant
with little attention paid to seed sele'
ton Another fact that experiment
; have brought out is that the standar
varieties are superior to most OF til
new ones. Every year seedsmen max
claims of wonderful yields obtaine
from new varieties. not only of whea
but of other crops as we'll. In mos
cases these claims are entirely vi
founded. Before Introducing q ne
variety it will pay to write to your e:
pertinent station for information E
garding 1t. Even If they recommen
1t the safest plan is to try only a fe
acres ut first until you see whether (
not 1t is adapted to your particular ]
) cality.
Where winter wheat can be grown
; will pay to raise 1t in spite of its di
advantages. 1t can be worked into Il
,, rotation by sowing 1t after oats in
: rotation Of corn. oats, wheat, Glove
The clover seed may be scattered {