The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-11-03
GOOD SEED ALSO A PRIME RE-
QUlSlTE I'M TIE PRO-
DUCTION
STANp SAVtG b Ok Nf BOIL R
Careful Preparatia.. and Deep Plow-
ing Essentiai.--r,ow to Prevent
Rust and Other Troub!es.--Late
Sowing Demands More Seed.
BY Capt T. f. Peck, Commissioner
of Agriculture.
Wheat Culture.

ments in successful wheat growing is
the early and thorough preparation
of the land. The ideal selection fol
wheat land is a good clover sod, one
from which a crop of hay has been
harvested early enough to produce
good second growth of clover. Get
this growth as heavy as possible
and turn under deeply in August or
September.
Keep the disc or spring tooth har-
row running over the surface often
enough to keep down any late fall
growth of grass or weeds. Do this
very carefully. so there will be no
necessity for returning the land.
The growing wheat plants need all
the humus or sponge-like property
that can be put into the undersoil to
hold the moisture.
1t is a serious mistake to neglect
the surface, cultivation and necessi-
tate turning the land again before
seeding, because of the late growth
of grass and weeds covering the
plowed ground.
II clover sod cannot be had-and
this has of late years been serious
problem with us-the next best pre-
paration is to SOW yeas in May, cut
q crop of hay early in August, allow
a second growth from the peavine
roots, and turn under deeply about
the first of Sevtember. Keep the
land well surface-cultivated until
about the middle of October, keep
all the misunderstanding elements
buried, yet have fine, shallow, well
cultivated seed bed.
The wheat plants need a firm sub
soil, but one retentive Of moisture,
and a loose, clean, shallow seed bed.
Sow with the drill set to three or
four inches deep, and leave the drill
burrows well open.
l prefer a disc drill because of the
condition in which it leaves the fur
row where the seed is placed Be
sure the soil is in good working con-
dition-better too dry than too wet.
When the winter freezes come, the
loose soil from the sides of the drill
furrow will crumble in to protect the
roots of the young plant, and i will
not raise up nor freeze out near so
badly as when narrowed in on level
surface.
Another essential is good seed 1t
pays well to fan and screen very
carefully to geet out all the small,
weak and faulty grains, as well as
the cookie. rye and chess, and sow
only plump, heavy, healthy grains
of clean wheat. If sown the last
half of October, in this section, one
bushel per acre of good, clean wheat
is better than heavier seeding. Later
than this requires more seed per
acre, as t does not have the time
to tiller out.
To prevent smut it is a safe plan
to treat the seed wheat with a strong
solution of bluestone or formaldehyde
either of which kills the spores of
smut on the wheat, and is a sure
preventive; and if sprinkled on the
grain so as to thoroughly wet it one
day ahead of the drill, it will not |
hinder the sowing.
When there is constant freezing |
and thawing in February and March,
lifting the wheat roots out of the |
ground, the stand can be Saved by
the use of the roller as soon as the
ground is drying out.
In harvesting, it is best to begin !
while the grain is little green in
places, rather than wait until It is
fully ripe. The grain will not shat
ter so badly, yet it will fully mature
from the sap in the rather green
stalk.
My experience with commercial
fertilizer has been limited, and not
The nitrogen and hui
mus from the decaying clover or pea
sod, together with the natural rhos-
plate in our Middle Tennessee soil,
with supply of potash stored in our
red clay subsoil, and made available
by the deep-rooted clover and pea
plauts, and the deep breaking OF our
land, makes it unnecessary for us
to use commercial fertilizers on our
wheat crops. BY careful preparation
Of the soil and selection of seed, our
farmers can very materially increase
the wheat Weld and nothing will pay
them better than to bring this into
A..