The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-08-26

cultivate. Heavy winter SHOWS
may occur, but they are likely to
blow off the fields unless there is
either stubble or an uneven sur
face to hold them. The time and
method of cultivation, then should
be planned to prevent weed grow
tn, and stillleave the soil or stub
BILE in such condition that it
will hold the maximum snow.
However, the period when labor is
available will also. be an import
ant factor in determining the
time of blowing. When labor is
scarce, cultivation other than
blowing which will kill weeds, and
can be done rapidly, may be re-
sorted to. If this cultivation
leaves the stubble on the surface
or leaves the surface rough e.
nough to hold the snow, it may be
of even greater value than plow-
ing. Disking or listing in the
fall are hmeethudtaoin nnnnnn
fall are the methods most COM
monty used.
Spring Flowing Eliminates Weeds
The amount of moisture in the
ground in the spring is only one
of the factors in producing grain
crops. Weeds growing with the
crop may use enough water to de-
crease the grain yield. 1t is
estimated that one ton of Russian
thistles uses IS per cent much
water as it would take to grow
ton Of unthrashed wheat. 1t was
found that fall blowing at the
Akron. station is especially favor
able to weeds starting with the
grain. Flowing in the spring,
however, thoroughly eliminates
the weeds, and if done Immediate
ly before seeding gives the grain
crop a start before the weeds com
mence to grow. The ideal Gull
tivation would prevent weed grow
tn in the fall, leave the land in
such condition that it would re-
tain the maximum snow in the
winter, and retard the gerln4na-
ton of weed seed until the crop
starts in the spring.
Possibly this may be accompl-
ished by disking in the fall and
Iplowing in the spring, OF listing
in the fall and bursting the
ridges in the spring may be more
practicable. Early fall blowing
is effective in that it destroys
weeds which use the early fall
precipitation, but it does not
the land in condition to retain
the snow in the winter, and it
gives the weeds an opportunity
to start before the crop.
In deciding the time to pillow,
the advantages and disadvant-]
ages of both spring blowing and
fall blowing must be taken into
consideration. Heavey rains in
August indicate that fall blowing
should be done, as the gain OIL
moisture during the winter by the
stubble land probably would not
equal the loss Of moisture taken
by. the weeds in the fall. If only
light rains occur, however, the
moisture in the soil produced by
these rains probably would be
more than offset by the greater
quantity of snow held by the stub
BILE during the winter, and the re-
duction of the weeds in the crop.
Spring blowing would then be bet
ter. The availability of labor in
the fall will influence the amount
of blowing done, but greater
effort should be made to do the
blowing if there is heavey preci-
pitation than if the rainfall is
light. The only advantage in
late fall blowing is that the "a
mount of spring labor in prepar-
ing the seed bed is reduced. This |
advantage, however, may be Of
fset by reduction in the yield.
In deciding when field should |
be plowed, the question of wheth-
er greater amount of water will |
be accumulated from snow than
will be taken up by weeds is the
greatest question to be decided, !
and this must be done by the man
On the ground. The bulletin
named above gives the results OIL
fall and spring blowing on oats
and On wheat stubble through a |
series of years, and the amount
of water available in the soil at
different dates during series Of
years. The bulletin may be had
upon application to the Editor
and Chief of the Division of Pub
locations, United States Depart
ment of Agricultural, Washing
ton, D. c., as long as the supply
lasts.
| a BANNER YEAR FoR n d