The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-01-04
Growing Flax In N. D.
II. L. Bolley Gives Some Coed Advice to Flax Growers


breaking, best results usually follow
spring blowing. The seeding should
be done as soon as possible after the
pillow. The moist earth and compact
seed bed gives rapid first growth
and the crop Is usually comparatively
free from weeds. II the land ia brok-
en- In the fall. 1t is apt to be filled
with any Of those weed seeds which
may be blown and tumbled by the
winter winds. and these plants make
strong competitors with the flax on
newly broken areas. unless special
provision is made for destroying them
before seed time.
How to proceed in spring breaking:
Break the sod as deeply as can be
done and yet have the furrow slices
lie fiat. The pillow should be followed
Immediately by heavy roller or
some similar soil packing tool. The
large corrugated type of metal rollers
or clod crushers do splendid sort
Of work on new breaking, tending to
loosen the dirt from the masses Of
grass roots. A good roller for such
work can be made at home by the
use Of concrete. The roller should be
followed by a peg toothed harrow,
drawn parallel with the furrow slices,
the narrowing being done to further
loosen the dirt sufficiently to fill the
spaces between the burrows and to
furnish cover for the seed. The drill
should Immediately follow the pillow,
roller and the harrow, placing the
good {nNk Tho i~k ar,>
prepared. Follow the drill immedi-
ately by heavily weighted float or
stone boat or roller, drawn over the
surface to level, firm down the soil,
and cover the seed.
II the work of blowing is done with
heavy traction blowing rig. all of
these operations can be done at one
time. This gives great advantage to
the flax over any method Of planting
which separates the blowing, rolling,
narrowing and covering processes, be-
cause the seed falls at once into the
moist ground, while II the operations
are conducted separately, the soil
tends to dry out rapidly. If the oper-
atoms are done separately, they
should follow each other as soon as
possible. Even though each imple-
ment Is drawn by separate power, the
order Of work should be as nearly
immediate as possible. and the seed
ing should be done Immediately fol-
lowing the last narrowing.
An attempt should be made to have
the drill place the seed down one-half
to one inch, not deeper than one inch
nor less than one-half inch. Before
sowing, careful attention should be
given the selection Of the seed. Poor,
scaley, diseased seed is what is ruin
ing the crop of fax, and destroying
the usefulness Of the land for future
flax purposes. Scaley and shrivelled
seeds are mostly caused by the wilt
and canker diseases, and are usually
sure signs Of the presence of such
diseases.
No matter how plump and brightly
colored the seed, there are ant to be
wilt spores present. This is due to
the fact that the disease is very GEN
eral. and only a few sick plants pro-
duce an enormous number of spores
which rattle off of the dead straws
at threshing time and stick to the
seeds.
Clean all seed thoroughly so as to
remove all sticks, dirt, chaff and scaly
seeds. Then treat the seed with for
maldehyde as described in our press
bulletins Nos. 3, IA and %. It is alb
solutely essential in raising flax to
disinfect the seed. It is not difficult
to 90, IT the man who does tt is pro-
vided with proper compressed air
sprayer so that he can throw a fine
misty spray upon the grain while it
is being shoveled and raked over. Use
one pound of formaldehyde to each
forty gallons of water and approxi-
mately one-half gallon for each BUSH
Ell of dry clean seed. If the grain is
thoroughly shoveled and raked wh.!!s
the spraying is being done the grain
will be found to be evenly damp all
over. II life piled for from one to
two hours it will be found fit to pass
through the drill without difficulty.
Those who do not properly treat
their seed not only spoil their own
chances for good crops but spread
these destructive soil diseases to
neighboring lands.
Sow not to exceed one-half bushel
of good flash seed per acre. II it all
sprouts there will be plenty of young
plants. 1t is not wise to SOW any
flax seed which will not sprout at
once.
Study Crop Rotation.
Any rotation of five or more years
will do wonders for fax cropping,
but It will be wise to introduce at
least one grass and one cultivated
crop in the series.
Remember that uneven depths of
planting gives uneven ripening and
that firm seed bed will allow you
to get an even depth of planting. A
firm seed bed helps to protect the
roots of the young plants from drouth
and disease.
THE TORIES GALL