American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-06-17

"A good seed bed with a uniform surface for
the seeder, will permit uniform seeds to be plant
ed at a uniform depth. resulting In uniform germi-
nation, growth, heading out and ripening; uniform
grain for the binder, uniform sheaves; less waste
In cutting; uniform surface for the binder to run
over and uniform grain Of uniform quality. Be-
sides this when the pillow goes on that land again
1t runs smoothly and turns a furrow at a uni
form depth. Uniformity plays a most important
part, no matter what method is adopted.
Il would not care to farm without the plank
drag. II I could follow my inclination / should
follow the pillow with a sub-surface packer and use
a surface packer after the seeder. Years ago l
used a harrow after the pillow in the spring and
narrowed and narrowed and then wondered why
the stools turned yellow and died down in a hot
spell in July. 1t also seemed strange to me that
some of the grain terminated at once and some
would come up after the first rain, resulting In
uneven growth.
MY object now is to SOW the seed while the bed
Is moist, and to cultivate afterward. The method
j have outlined has always given good results for
me. When / find a better way ! will change my
system Of farming.
with a good seed bed and on soil such as we
have, / have concluded that an inch to an inch and
a half is the proper depth for planting wheat on
summer fallow and on thoroughly prepared, newly
broken or fall plowed land, and a depth Of two
inches on spring plowed land. The important thing
is the moisture line. Plant the seed just below the
moisture line, pack 1t to insure quick termination
and the results will be good"
Wheeler gives the same attention to details
whether growing seed for the market, for seed, or
for exhibition purposes, and he has the proof that
1t pays. He uses formalydehyde In treating for
smut and considers 1t better than bluestone. He
has no smut In his wheat but uses this treatment
to prevent smut from appearing, considering 1t
more economical to keep 1t away than to get rid
Of 1t after 1t has come. His formula is one part
formalin to forty parts Of water, but he advises a
stronger solution when wheat is very smutty. In
his preventive treatmen he dips the sacked grain
into the mixture, allows It to become thoroughly
moistened. and drains It, still in the sacks. Then
he spreads 1t out, under cover. for two hours. This
treatment is given the seed just before 1t is used.
A number of new varieties Of grain have been
developed by Wheeler and he is hopeful that a new
strain of Marquis, which ripens a week earlier
than the parent, will become a better grain for his
section. He has also matured four varieties Of
flint corn, and considers the growing Of corn one
Of the things to which farmers In his region should
give more attention.
II am also confident of being able soon to pro-
duce a strain Of hardy winter wheat. The sweep
stake I won at the Irrigation Congress at Calgary
In October, 1914, was won with winter wheat. /
have three good strains that / originated by hand
selection. l have many new wheats that origin
ated on the farm-some sixty that are red in color.
1t Is remarkable that so many originated on the
farm. In all probability some are accidental
crosses that never would have been noticed and
would have been lost in the ordinary wheat grow
ing methods"
While Wheeler still INDUCES in the luxury of
summer fallow, he considers Il wasteful and a sys-
tenn that is soon to disappear. From my own ex-
periments," he says, Il am satisfied that soy beans,
red clover, alsike clover, alfalfa. grasses and corn
can be grown and that we shall grow a crop ev-
cry season. Corn will clean the land and 1t gives
the best results when the following crop is wheat.
Wheat ripens one week earlier on corn land. Soy
beans for fodder or silage will also clean the land
and leave ii in ideal condition for wheat. Alfalfa
Will give two cuttings and when the land Is brok-
en- up and sown to grain the crops are clean and
good. Glover has given good results on my farm.
These are only a few of the crops we shall grow
In the future. They will mean an increase of live
stock. That means we shall grow a smaller acre
age OF grain, but more grain to the acre. I have
found that heavier yields have been obtained on
ground that has grown grasses. potatoes, etc
cleaner crops and grains Of much superior quail
ity."
Wheeler's $1,000 prize wheat was grown on land
that had been under cultivation for fourteen years
and on which he had grown oats, potatoes, peas.
turnips and barley, in addition to four previous
wheat crops.