The Raymer enterprise., 1915-09-23
GREAT PLAINS WHEAT
0isked Corn Land Gives Most
Satisfactory Results.
Little Difference Noted Following Fall
and Spring Plowins-Green Ma.
nuring Is Most Expensive
Method Under Trial.

When the differences in value OF
the yields OF spring wheat are less
than the difference in cost OF produc.
tion. then cost becomes the determin.
ing factor" is one OF twelve conclu-
sions drawn from extensive expert
mental work carried on by IA stations
over series OF years and dealt with
at length in United States department
OF agriculture Bulletin No. 214.
Spring Wheat In the Great Plains
Area.-Relations of Cultural Methods
to Production" The Great Plains
area includes parts of ten states. 40.
900 square miles OF territory. taking
In much Of North Dakota. South Dako-
ia. Montana. Nebraska. Kansas. Okla
homa, and parts Of Colorado. Wyom.
ing. New Mexico and Texas. In these
states IA stations have worked on
these spring. wheat problems.
Among the general conclusions
brought out by study OF the results
at the IA stations is one that shows
the average difference In the yields OF
spring wheat following fall plowing
and spring plowing is very small. At
most stations the advantage of one
over the other depends upon the sea
son. The data obtained Indicate the
Importance of understanding the gen.
eral principles that govern the OBJ
served seasonal variations and the i'm
portanee OF adjusting this work to the
general economy OF farm organization.
Disked corn ground has given con-
sistently high yields This. together
with the low cost of this preparation
for wheat. has resulted in its uniform
showing OF the greatest profit per acre
at those stations where II has been
possible to raise wheat at a profit and
the least loss at those stations where
wheat has been raised only at loss.
The realization OF these profits, how
ever. depends upon the successful
growth OF corn as general farm crop
In competition with other crops. ac.
cording to the deductions drawn In
this bulletin.
subsoiling. as compared with wheat
stubble fall plowed without subsoiling,
has been OF doubtful utility as means
OF increasing yields. As a means OF
overcoming drought It is without
value.
Green manuring is the most expen-
siye method under trial. Ii resem.
bies fallow in that It requires the
use OF the land for two years for the
production OF one harvested crop
with the added expense OF seed and
seeding. There is a saving OF cultiva-
tion during the spring while the green
manure crop is growing, but this Is
offset by the necessity Of plowing to
turn the crop under and is not suffi-
eient to make up for the cost OF seed
and seeding. Yields have not been
commensurate with the increased cost
OF production. II is hardly fair to
charge the whole cost OF green
manuring TO the one crop that i'm
mediately follows It as is done in this
bulletin II should have a cumulative
effect in building up the soil or rem
edying its deficiency in organic mat
ter The evidence shows that ON nor
NAL soils In the Great Plains at least
In the first years OF the work little
effect from green manuring is shown
on other than the first crop.
One fact standing out prominently
is that cultivation is not an unfailing
solution of the problem of drought
1t will doubtless alleviate II to some
extent but can never fully overcome
It, AT different times and in different
sections certain methods have. been
exploited as to the solution of the
problem of dry farming. Each Of these
systems may have merit. but any and
all fall far short OF the panacea under
all conditions.
Where work has been carried on for
several years with no material DIR.
ference in yield obtained under the
various methods, the bulletin indicates
that more freedom may be used by
the farmer in planning his operations
II spring plowing. fall plowing. or
disking. after some intertilled crop.
gives practically the same yields the
rational thing to do is to take ad.
vantage OF this fact 1t is desirable
to plow when 1t can be done most eco.
nomieally for men and teams. The
same way in disking the land.