The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-07-16

but Of other crops as well. In most
cases these claims are entirely un-
founded. Before introducing a new
variety 1t will pay to write to your ex-
pertinent station for information re-
garding 1t. Even If they recommend
it the safest plan is to try only few
acres at first until you see whether or
not it is adapted to your particular To-
cality.
Where winter wheat can be grown it
will pay to raise 1t in spite of its dis
advantages. 1t can be worked into the
rotation by sowing it after oats in a
rotation of corn. oats, wheat, clover.
The clover seed may be scattered on
the ground among the wheat plants
early in the spring. Another method
of using winter wheat in the rotation
is TO cut the corn early for silage or
fodder and sow the wheat on the corn
Etubble ground. The trouble with this
method is that it is usually so late
before the corn can be got off the
ground that the wheat does not get
enough of a start to enable 1t to with
c-and an extra severe winter. There
is an advantage in having wheat fol-
low corn or some other cultivated crop
in that the weeds will bother much
less. The work Of seeding is also less
pince the ground does not need to be
plowed.
Preparing the Ground.
Wheat, like oats. needs a firm seed
bed. Corn ground which has been run
bed. 1t is fine and mellow on top and
firm beneath. There is nothing to pre-
vent the capillary moisture from ris-
ing rapidly to the loose top layer,
where it is held just where the roots
need it. When wheat follows some
other small grain the ground is so hard
that, except in the case of very loose
soils, the disk will have little effect on
1t. Such ground must be plowed.
Flowing for wheat does not need to be
very deep. Many farmers practice
burning the stubble before blowing,
since in this way many insects and
weeds are destroyed. and the capil
larry connection is restored quicker.
Some humus is lost in this way, but
the advantages gained in many cases
make it more profitable to obtain the
needed humus in some other way.
The soil should be well disked and
narrowed after blowing to make a
fine, compact seed bed. With wheat,
as with oats. considerably better yields
are obtained by the use of drill. In
loose or dry soils the press drill is a
big advantage. The wheels that fol-
low pack the soil over the seed. This
the wheat grains, and they will alb
sorb moisture faster and begin to grow
sooner. This Quickness of starting is
of much Importance in fall sown
wheat near the northern limit of the
winter wheat belt, since there every
thing depends on the wheat making
good growth before the ground freezes.
Earliness of seeding is important for
the same reason. If you cannot get
your winter wheat in early-and by
early is meant the first half of Sep
tember-it is better to wait until
spring and sow a spring variety.
The ground for spring wheat should
be prepared in much the same manner
as for oats. The rate of seeding where
drill is used should be five or six
pecks to the acre. with either spring
or winter varieties. When sown broad
cast about a peck more will be need
ed. If there is much smut present the
seed should be treated as outlined for
oat smut in article No. A. The seed
should be famed and graded and test
ed for termination.
Rotation In Wheat Farming.
In the great spring wheat regions
the introduction of a crcp Of clover
every two or three years will material
ly increase the yield. The growing Of
clover will mean some live stock TO
eat it, and the manure thus obtained
will still further increase the wheat
yields. The introduction Of some of
the other grain and forage crops will
equalize the demands upon the soil
and add to the profits obtained from