Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-09-26
Wheat Troubles And The Best
Remedies.
BY NICHOLAS ScHMITZ.

| in few small localities, was very poor
This is causing many farmers to take al
inventory of their wheat business, anC
as they discover an actual cash loss, or al
best only very small gain. they are ask.
ing what is the cause of the low yield and
how the crop can be improved?
The low yield of the past season was
due principally to late spring frosts. fly
the growing of poor varieties and occa-
sional poor preparation of the land or inn
proper fertilization. Frosts cannot be con-
trolled, but it is within every mans power
to prevent. or least reduce to very low
minimum, the loss due to growing poor
varieties. fly, poor preparation of the seed
bed or improper fertilization.
Since its beginning the Maryland Ex-
pertinent Station has been making special
effort to improve the wheat of the State.
In this work thousands of selections and
over 200 varieties have been tested, and
of this number only two smooth-China and
Currells Prolifc-and four bearded varie-
ties-Bearded Purple Straw. Dietz Long
berry. Mammoth Red and Dietz-s stand out
clearly above all others in yield. All the
bearded varieties belong to the Fulcaster
type.
Not only do these varieties stand high
in the tests on the station farm. but they
are topnotchers wherever tested. for re-
ports the past three years from all sections
of the State show them to yield on an
average from three to five bushels more an
acre than the ordinary types now grown
and increases of from five to eight bushels
are not uncommon. This is especially true
of those sections growing principally all
the smooth varieties of the Fultz and Fultzo
types. While some of the varieties yield
better than others, competition, however,
is so close that no mistake will be made in
sowing any of them. They are all good.
Anyone wishing seed of these varieties
can secure a list of farmers having seed
for sale by addressing the Experiment
Station. College Park, Md.
The fly can be controlled largely by late
planting, rotation of crops and not allow
ing volunteer wheat to grow on fallow
ground. The treatment is essentially one
in which the host plant is kept away until
the last fall ege-laying brood of the in
sect has disappeared. The date of its dis
appearance depends on the latitude, alti-
tude and weather conditions. A wet Sep
TENDER may cause an early disappearance,
while long fall drought and warm weather
may cause much later disappearance
Taking all into consideration, wheat should
not be sown in the vicinity of the follow
ing cities and towns of the State before
the dates given:
Oakland, September IL to 10; Hagers-
town, October to 8; Frederick, October 3
to 10; Westminster, September 20 to 0c-
tober S; Rockville, October 3 to 8; Ger
mantown. October 3 to 8 La Plata. Octo-
Der 8 to 18; COckeysville, October 3 to 10 ;
Elkton, October 2 to 8; Belair. October 2
to o Chestertown. October 6 to l6; Eas-
ton, October 8 to 10; Salisbury. October 10
to II.
Since no two soils or two fields on the
same farm are exactly alike in fertility it
definite fertilizer based on results secured
anywhere excepting on the soil or field in
question. We have. however, certain fun
damental facts which aid us in arriving at
formula not far out of the way. II is
well known that all Eastern soils are some
what deficient in phOsphOric acid. and that
wheat requires considerable readily avail
able phosphOric acid. Every fertilizer test
has shown this. 1t follows, then. that the
first important constituent to make provi-
sion for in fertilizer mixture is phos-
phoric acid Nitrogen is of next impor-
lance, but fortunately ii can be obtained
from the air free of charge by growing
plenty of clover, cOwpeas, soy beans Of
other legumes in the rotation. Therefore
the amount of nitrogen TO use depends
largely on the amount of legumes that have
been grown in the rotation. for too much
nitrogen in the soil is as bad or worse
than not enough, causing rank straw growth
and lodging.
Potash is usually quite abundant in all
clay and clay loan soils of the State, but
the addition Of small quantities has almost
always given profitable returns on wheat.
For land yielding 40 bushels or little
more of corn per acre in a normal season
a fertilizer consisting of:
Tankage.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3OO IDS
Muriate of potash. .................. 200 lbs
| Nitrate of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 100 lbs
Used at the rate of 300 pounds per acre
is not far out of the way. This will anal
we approximately 2 per cent. nitrogen
10 per cent phosphOric acid and s pei
cent potash. II the land will produce &C
to rs bushels Of corn per acre and coat
of manure or crimson clover has beer
ploughed down less fertilizer may be used
and the percentage of nitrogen greatly de
creased or left out entirely.
On soil producing less than 40 bushels
Of corn per acre. more than 300 pounds o
fertilizer should be used and the percent
age Of nitrogen should be increased TO
or A per cent.
It is doubtful. however, If it will pay
even in good years, to grow wheat on lanC
producing less than 40 bushels Of corn pc
acre or those requiring more than 4OI
pounds of fertilizer high in nitrogen pc
acre to secure fair crop
The Republican State Convention
The Republican State Convention CANT
off on time. with great satisfaction to itsel
and without distracting the public atten
ton greatly from other things. The plat
form echoes most Of the pledges for reform
in State affairs already made in the Demo
cratic platform. and makes one or tw
others which were doubtless thrown in a
Al.