The Dickinson press., 1909-04-17
HINTS 70 n
on WHEAT PLANTING

The following article on wheat is
prepared by Prof. Harry Snyder Of the
Uniysrsity of Minnesota. who is con-
sidereds an eminent authority on the
subject The article follows
Selection Of SEED: Select bright.
insure heavy weight seed, preferably
that which has grown in your own state
rather than imported and unacclimated
seed. Preference should be given to
the standard varieties Of flies and blue
stems as they are sure to command the
best price. By giving careful attention
to the selection. of seed and the culti-
walton Of, the soil the yields Of fife and
blue stem can be increased. and the beat
quality Of grain secured.
Use Of wheat grader and tanning mill
Where the wheat grader 10 available,
at should be used to screen out the small
sized kernels. Where the grader is not
available, use the tanning mill. Some
farmers follow the excellent practice Of
putting their wheat through both the
grader and the tanning mill The larger
kernels. as a rule. come from the larger
and more productive wheat heads, and
hence the seed wheat grader and fan
ming mill have, a tendency to remove
the smaller, less matured and less pro-
ductive kernels. The heavy weight seed
contains the most ~nourishment and
reserve plant food which gives the
YOUNG wheat plants a better start in.
the early spring than in the case of
light weight seed.
Testing terminating power: The
terminating power of the seed can be
tested by planting in moist sand or
dirt a given number Of seeds and deter
mining the number which terminate.
or the seed a be terminated between
moist pieces of plotting paper or cloth.
If there is any reason to doubt the
vitality of the seed the. terminating
power should be tested.
Formalin treatment Of seed to kill
smut spores: After the wheat is cleaned,
it is an excellent plan to give the seed
the formalin treatment to kill the smut
spores. One pound of formalins is dis
solved in fifty gallons Of water and the
seed is either sprinkIed with this solu-
ton or immersed in it for from fifteen
to thirty minutes. AS the wheat alb
serbs, water allowance should be made
for the increase in weight and bulk
when seeding.
Rate Of seeding: The amount of seed
to use per acre should vary to slight
extent with the size. of the kernels.
The larger the kernels the heavier the
rate of seeding so 40 to secure the re-
quisite number of strong, vigorous wheat
plants per acre. When the wheat IS
well cleaned. there is some compensa-
7tion, in that there isa higher eermina-
ting power. If the seeding is late and
backward, a little more seed should be
used than in early spring when better
conditions exist for stooling. There
is q tendency to s too scant rather
than too much seed, but an xcess is
unnecessary. Usually about IS pounds
Of plump. well cleaned heavy weight
seed will give best results.
Increase in yield: The North Dakota,
Minnesota, Kansas. Nebraska and
other agricultural experiment stations
have demonstrated that selected heavy
weight seeds produce stronger plants and
more and better grain than. light weight
Seed 1t is reasonable to, expect an in
crease in yield Of from, one: to three
bushels per acre as well as, grain of
better quality by carefully selecting
and screening the seed wheat. 1t will
pay to do so.
New varieties of wheat. There are a
number of new varieties Of wheat as
Velvet Chat, Johnson's Wheat and 1873
which have q good physical appearance.
yield we'll and have a high test weight.
but are poor bread wheats They make
-four thar produces smaller. darker. breads
compared with those, from fife: and blue
stem. The miller cannot make. the best
-four from these wheats, and therefore
fife and blue stem are sure to command
the best prices in the market. With a
little are in seed selection, cultivation
and treatment of the soil. fife and blue
stem can. be made to- yield as well rs
these inferior varieties. North Dakota
has made her reputation as hard spring
wheat producer from these standard
varieties. and she cannot maintain that
high reputation by the production Of
these new varieties in the place Of the
standard fife and blue stem.
PROF. HARRY SNYDER,
University Of Minnesota.
OBJECT 70 70 STRONG MEDICINES
Many people object TO taking the
strong medicines usually prescribed by
physicians for rheumatism. There il
80 nnod ~ intorno1 frcotrnnut in-onx