Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-25

The time is at hand when the area
devoted TO the cultivation OF winter
wheat must be extended or the yield
per acre increased IL a Sufficient
amount Of this important cereal is pro-
duced TO supply our present popula-
ton with a per capita consumption OF
something like - bushels Wheat
has been cultivated as a standard crop
throughout the north and west since
The earliest settlement OF the country.
II has never been extensively cultivat-
ed. however. In the south. yet it may
be grown through all that section TO
advautaEe- In many OF the southern
states IL is worth from 81 20 s1.10 a
bushel, and good farmers frequently
obtain a yield Of from twenty 10 TWEEN
ty-dve bushels per acre One farmer
with whom the writer is acquainted
states that his wheat crop erageo
about twenty-three bushels per acre last
year and cost him. including a fairly
liberal application OF fertilizer some
thing like So an acre to produce. He
received better than SIS per acre for
the crop exclusive Of the straw, and as
his land was occupied only a portion OF
the year and he has produced nne
crop OF pea hay on the wheat stubble,
ne considers the cultivation OF wheat a
rrofita ble side line on his farm There
are thousands OF farmers throughout
the south who could emulate this mans
example 10 good advantage. and when
we reflect that only 10000 acres OF
land were devoted 20 the cultivation
OF wheat in Virginia in 1911. and 49,
600 acres in Gesrgia, il is 70 be hoped
that more attention viii presently be
given TO this important and essential
crop.
wheat is a more difficult crop to cul-
tivate than oats. as il is more parttcu-
lar about the soil on which IL grows
1t thrives best on a clay OF loan soil,
sandy soils not being well adapted 10
this crop. In a rotation IL may follow
corn or cotton On cotton land IL
would have TO be seeded in the open
furrow very much the same as oats. On
corn land IL may be seeded with the
grain drin. provided the land has been
nut IN proper condition. 1t may be
grown on sod land or after such crops
as sweet potatoes and any OF the le-
rumes which have been cut for hay. II
is important that considerable amount
Of vegetable matter be maintained in
the soil for this crop; therefore. IA
should always have a different place
in a well defined rotation
A crop OF twenty-five bushels OF
wheat with its accompaniment OF about
s.5oo pounds OF straw removes from
an acre OF land about Sc pounds Of nj
trogen. III pounds OF phosphoric- acid.
and 23S pounds OF potash. OF this
amount the grain contains. about 25.9
mounds OF nitrogen, IA pounds of
phosphOric acid and So pounds. OF pot
ash. These figures show that wheat
deplet9s the land rather rapidly OF
nitrogen and phosphoric acid OF
course, 1t makes a heavy draft on the
potash. but on the theory that con-
siderable proportion OF the straw VIII
be returned 70 the land. the loss Of Pot-
ash may not be felt so soon Neverthe-
less. on practically all farms where
wheat growing has been practiced the
advisability OF using complete fer
tilizsr on this crop has been demon
strated.
Ion the type OF son to which this crop
is best suited a formula carrying from
S to 10 per scent of .fhOsphOric acid %
10 G per sent Of nitrogen. and J to
per cent potash. VIII be found advisable.
on the richer lands the lower percent
ages should be applied, and on the thin
Trer sofls. the larger. a minimum applica-
ton Of fertilizer for the wheat crop
should be about 500 pounds per acre,
and the maximum probably 600 pounds
These figures are only suggestive TO the
lENMtEL WHO - UlEAd UA . NVA1AN
cradle scale Where one is striving for
extraordinary yields or where soil condi-
lions are peculiarly favorable. larger
amounts OF fertilizer may often be APP
piled with advantage Much OF the best
land found in the south for the
cultivation Of wheat is deficient
in phosphorus acid. Therefore this ele-
Insnt should be used quite literally, and
in order that a fall-sown crop may have
time 20 take Up the nitrogen before 1t is
lost through washing or teaching, Il Is
best 10 use that derived from organic
sources II is important whenever pos
sible TO apply the fertilizer and grain so
that they viii be wen mixed with the
soil. though injury to termination from
the use OF fertilizer Is seldom met with.
but the precaution suggested is a wise
one. and many OF the drills now on the
market may be so adjusted as TO insure