Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-19
Growing Winter Wheat IN the South

Realizing the importance OF cncOur-
aging the cultivation OF winter wheat.
the college OF agriculture has been con-
Quoting for several years past variety
tests at Athens. Ashhurn and Quitman.
Investigations have also been started
with the idea OF securing varieties bet
ter adapted TO local conditions and
which are earlier. harder and more re-
sistant 20 disease while producing a
well developed berry Of fine quality. II
l. certain that much still remains TO be
Rscertained with reference to the best
method OF cultivation to practice and
the proper rotation Of crops to estab-
fish OF course. the fertilizer side OF
the problem also needs to ne carefully
investigated There Is only one serious
drawback to the cultivation OF wheat
IN the southeastern states. and that Is
Que to the fact that while there is an
abundant rainfall. IL is often not well
distributed. hence the crop sometimes
suffers from drought when approaching
maturity. This difficulty can be ov-
ercome TO a considerable degree by the
development through selection OF early
maturing strains and the management
Of the land in such a manner as to IL
crease its supply OF vegetable matter.
and therefore enable IL to absorb and
hold a greater amount of the water
falling as rain than at present There
Is an unusually long growing season
in the southeastern states varying from
22s days At Athens to 247 days at Ash
burn The rainfall at the different sta
tions varies from fifty TO fifty-two inch
es- The precipitation during the grow
ing season varies from twenty-six TO
thirty-three inches. hence If the water
is properly conserved through a ju-
dicious rotation Of crops and the pro-
per management of the land there
should be an abundance OF this element
10 insure the development of profitable
crops OF wheat certainly in the Pied
mont section OF the states in question.
Wheat is subject to attack by some
diseases and these at times have proven
very troublesome. Rust is among the
most destructive Of the diseases to
which this cereal is subject The sue
cess which has been attained in devel-
Oping rust proof oats. however. leads
10 the belief that through persistent ef-,
forts strains OF wheat as strongly re-
sistant to this trouble can also be OBJ
tanned.
II is proper to state that the varie-
ties cultivated at Athens were grown
on what is known as the cecil clay.
This soil Is derived from the weather.
ing OF GRANTEES, gnisses and schists.
little slow and the subsOils are some
what heavy. The land is rolling in ma
turs and can be readily improved by
deep blowing and the turning under of
green crops At AshbuTn the test plats
lie wholly within what is known as
the coastal plains region The soil type
il identified as the Triton sandy loan,
and is properly regarded as one OF the
best crop producing soils in that Sec
NJ - "a NJ
age OF this land is excellent At Quit
man the substation lies also I'm the
coastal plains area, though the soil
here Is Of sedimeRtary character. T.
Is slightly rolling and possesses good
drainage Essentially the same meth
cd Of management were used at all Of
the places indicated. the soil being
broken TO a good depth and a fine seed
bed prepared At all places the inten-
ton is 10 practice a three-years' ro-
tation In which cotton. corn and small
grain Is followed by COW peas Some
variation in the method OF cropping
has been necessary but in general this
rotation will be followed. BY this plan
small grain occupies the land only once
in three years. and as il follows corn
the ground is generally in such condi-I
ton that a good seed bed can be pre-
pared In this rotation the plan is to-
turn under the COW peas as green ma
nure. and as far as possible. a cover
crop Of rye or hairy vetch is usually
seeded in the cotton as well as a soil,
builder. Up TO the present time the
varieties chiefly grown belong to wha-
are known as the soft or semi-hard
winter group When practical the grain
II sown with a drill IL has not been
possible however. TO secure an im-i
pIement Of this character at the differ
-
seeding is done AT the rate Of four pecks
per acre
In preparing the land different meth
obs OF practice have been followed As
a general rule. ShOwever. double disk
ing has proven fairly satisfactory. but
much depends on the season and the
condition OF the ground. The plan is