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

the exhibitions and decided that the grain he was
raising on his own farm was as good as the grain
TO which he was awarding prizes. The next yeaI
he appeared as an exhibitor, won several firsts
and has been exhibiting and winning ever since.
His Preston wheat is registered with the Can
adian Seed Growers Association, OF which he is q
member as pedigree seed, and he still considers II
an excellent variety, but his big prizes have been
won with Marquis. The vigor OF his pedigree wheat
was shown in 1910 in a startling manner. The
last OF March he planted seed that had not been
hand selected but had been cleaned thoroughly
with the tanning mill. There was no rain after
planting until July Bird. In April and May there
we're five frosts, which cut the young plants down
to the ground each time. There was a hot, dry
spell In June. Whole fields In that vicinity were
killed and many acres were not even reseeded
Wheeler's seed plot yielded at the rate Of forty
bushels an acre. Two smaller plots alongside,
planted with other varieties OF selected seed, gave
similar returns. The rest OF the wheat field yield
ed twenty-eight bushels an acre.
The following year he began working with Sc
lected Marquis wheat that he obtained from the
Ottawa Experimental Farm, from the Rosthern
Experimental Farm and from another source. 1t
was this Marquis that gave the big crop that won
the big prize at New York. Wheeler did not have
to go through the tedious process of breeding up,
as he had done with the Preston, for others had
done Il for him. The grain matured in four
months being planted April twenty-first and har-
vested August twenty-eighth. The Ottawa seed
yielded at the rate OF so 90 bushels an acre; the
Rosthern seed at the rate Of TON bushels; and
the other a. the rate OF As bushels.
The MARQUIS that won the prize was a high bred
wheat, the progeny Of a cross made between Red
Fife and Calcutta Red about twenty years ago by
DR.. William Sanders, then director Of the Domin-
ion Experimental farm at Ottawa. and developed
later by DR.. Charles Sanders, ceralist Of the farm.
Wheeler considers 1t the most promising variety
OF wheat In Western Canada today. In that same
year his seed plot of Preston yielded at the rate of
fifty-three bushels an acre, and the multiplying
plot, the product Of the Preston seed plot of the
previous exceptionally unfavorable season at the
rate OF forty eight bushels an acre.
The season OF 1912 was very unfavorable for the
production Of good grains, as there was rains
throughout July during the period of fertilization;
but in that year Wheeler's seed plots yielded at the
acre rate OF sixty bushels for the Marquis and for
ty-four bushels for the Preston.
The previous season Wheeler made several good
records. lie sowed five pounds OF selected Mar
quis and harvested four bushels which yielded
thirty pounds after having been thoroughly clean
ed. The smaller grain was separated by a tanning
mill and the rest was planted. That was the seed
which yielded at the rate OF so bushels an acre, or
enough perfect seed to plant sixty acres Some Of
his Preston wheat, taekn from his multiplying plot
and planted by the Rosthern Experimental, Farm.
yielded at the rate of seventy-six bushels all acre
that year, while a similar plot planted with seed
obtained elsewhere gave only about half as large
a yield.
Wheeler divides the wheat into ten divisions. OF
which he selects only one for seed. These di,is-
Ions arc: Plump, large seed; broken grain; chaff;
dust; sham knot; white caps; weed seeds and 9TH
err impurities. This division is not made OF ordi-
nary seed but of seed that has been through sew
eral seasons OF careful hand selection.
That his method of procedure is profitable Is
clearly proved by the results he obtained in 1914.
His wheat yield for the entire acreage averaged
thirty bushels; oats, seventy-five bushels; barley
sixty bushels; alfalfa. two cuttings. There were
variations according to type OF seed and condition
OF seed bed. Spring plowed land yielded thirty
bushels OF wheat which Wheeler considered a very
good yield, and eighty bushels Of oats to the acre.
Summer fallowed ground yielded thirty-five bush
els OF wheat and fall plowed land yielded twenty
bushels. Oats on a half acre seed plot of breaking
yielded at the rate OF seventy-six bushels, and on
the multiplying plot, new breaking. at the rate OF
seventy-hve bushels. Only two inches OF rain
fell from the first Of May until after harvest, but
Wheeler's wheat was five feet tall. with heads
eight to twelve rowed and with from three to six
good grams In a spikelet. Some strains OF a re-
markable size were grown, and the selected strains
OF Marquis were better than the 81, 900 prize win
ner at New York and the Wichita sweepstakes
winner In 1914.
Though Wheeler insists upon the necessity for
the utmost care In selecting and breeding and
keeping pure the different seed he does not ex-
pect this to complete his part OF the partnership
arrangement between him, the seed and the soil.
In fact he considers the proper preparation Of the
seed bed OF almost equal Importance For summer
fallow, Wheeler uses the disc or shallow pillow the
previous fall. He prefers blowing to a depth of
two inches, followed by packing to start the weed
growth early the next spring. In the spring he
uSth III nuTToW u DTeuk tne crust that forms az
ter the snow is gone.
A soon as possible. after seeding time" he
explains, "the field should be plowed deeply. care
being taken that the burrows are well turned.
use n home made roller behind my gang pillow.
This packs down the furrow slices and holds the
moisture. ! would advise every farmer to put a
pulverizer attachment behind his pillow. BY this
operation my blowing is rolled Immediately, to
conserve the moisture. The pillow is followed by a
surface packer to pack It down more.
After l have the soil well packed I use a plank
drag similar to the road drag. operated up the
right side or the field, crossing at the end, and
following down b.. the first dead furrow, doing the
field In sections TO avoid waste of time crossing
the ends. I use the drag to level up the field and
put the surface I'm uniform condition. Sould n
rain come shortly afterward it is surprising to
see how the weeds terminate.
AS soon as possible after a rain. while the soil
Is moist but not wet. l harrow It. II discing is
necessary during the summer l use the drag again
TO keep the field level. Cultivation should be kept
up to kill the weeds and to conserve moisture. The
next spring there is a firm seed bed in uniform
condition., and the drill plants the seed at a uni
form jepth.