The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-08-13
Preparation for Winter whe..

The sooner you start the pillow to
turning over the soil in which you
expect to SOW winter wheat this fall
the better. If you want to do an ex-
ira good job-and it always pays to
prepare good seed bed-double disc
the land before blowing. Set the disc
going tomorrow II you can, and then
pillow few days later or Immediately
after discing has been done. Why
disc before blowing? To conserve
moisture. True, we have had good
deal of that commodity SO far this
summer, but we may not be overbur-
dened with it between now and wheat
seeding time.
In case we should get dry spell
from now on, the soil will bake more
or less; it will begin to get lumpy and
the best preventive for lumpiness
consists In keeping the surface loose.
The more you disc the less trouble
you will have when the pillow is start
ed. This is easily understood. So
long as you maintain a loose mulch
on top, water from below cannot es-
cape through 1t. 1t must stay below
the surface, just when you want 1t to
keep the-soil particles In q friable
oondition-to keep the physical condi-
tion right the soil physicist would say
Early blowing followed by narrowing
and subsequent dIscing will do the
same thing; the latter method Is to
be preferred to discing and then
blowing, provided the blowing can be
done early enough. We like it better
because it conserves moisture equally
well, and it insures q cleaner and
firmer seed bed.
1t is a matter of great Importance
to provide firm seed bed for wheat.
A fire, as compared with loose seed
bed may mean the difference between
a profitable crop and one that barely
pays expenses. We realize that 1t is
easier to recommend early blowing
than 1t Is to get 1t done. Labor is
usually scarce at this time Of year.
On the other hand there are many
who can manage to do some discing
of the stubble ground even il they
cannot get the land plowed right
away.
Just bear in mind that work spent
in double discing stubble ground now
may save a lot Of pulling and poor
work when time for blowing can be
found. This at least will be true
should we have much dry weather
from now on. And it Is certain that
any work done with the disc will ben
eft the soil, regardless Of the season.
The more the soil is stirred at this
season Of the year, the better the cir
culation Of air in 1t will be, while at
the same time weeds will be destroy
ed. There are two principal benefits
accruing from air circulating freely
through the soil during the growing
season. First, the air, or rather oxy-
gen it contains, acts directly on the
mineral constituents In the soil caus-
ing them to become soluble In water,
and hence available to plants. Sec
ond, a free circulation Of air causes
bacterial life in the soil to become
more active, and bacteria are the
principal agents causing the decay of
vegetable matter, or the formation Of
humus SO necessary to the retention Of
water and the maintenance of good
physical condition of the soil. The
more the soil is stirred at this time Of
year, the more insoluble plant food is
changed into soluble forms; ready for
the young wheat as soon as its roots
begin to ramify In the soil. Wheat
is not what Is known as q gross feed
er; 1t is a rather delicate plant, es-
pecially in its stages Of growth. 1t
cannot make use OF the mineral ele-
meDts in q coarse condition, SO to
speak, like corn, or oats or rye; and
hence the Importance Of thorough
cultivation before seeding time to lib
crate rs much soluble plant food as
possible.
Our thoughts are but our weakness
a. sftoe al and stpao rfI, ~ riert,f tho