The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-02-17
Root. 90 Down Deep.

Roots 90 Down Deep.
Innoculation is always advisable and
often necessary in raising alfalfa. In
raising alfalfa the following things
are necessary: drainage. manure, lime
stone and innoculation. Alfalfa won't
stand wet feet. The roots go down
ten or twelve feet. 1t likes rich soil.
The prices OF the farm land in Iowa
are driving many people to cheaper
lands.
The speaker then went on to say
that the per cent of farmers who are
prospecting is greater than in any 9th
|er line of occupation. The farmer
has not enough respect for his call
ing.
The dairy business is the most pro-
titable along the line of live stock. In
this connection the speaker believed
that the milking machine Is a sue
cess Il you have enough cows ami
good hired help.
Raise More Wheat.
Urging the farmers Of Lee county
and of Iowa to raise more wheat, Prof.
F. D. Steen discussed this very import
ant subject The topic was assigned
to him because Lee is one Of the few
counties in Iowa that raises wheat to
any great extent at the present time.
The speaker said in part:
when I came to Iowa long ago 1t
was practically one wheat field. But
Iowa Is not a wheat raising state any
more. But why do we want to discuss
wheat? Because wheat and bread are
akin. And bread has often been call
ed the staff Of life. More people sub
sist on wheat than anything else but
rice.
! 1.-THE chinch bug started to destroy
our wheat fields in the seventies and
the advent of raising big crops Of corn
began at that time. In the early
forties the fields yielded thirty to forty
bushels Of spring wheat to the acre.
But things have changed. Iowa is
never mentioned in wheat growing.
Situation Is Serious.
I'm 1915 the United States produced
the largest crop. In 1916 only two
thirds of this crop was raised. Argen-
tina has practically failed this past
year. The world situation as to wheat
is the most serious We have had for
"a long time. Why does flour sell at
$2.75 a sack? In 1881 flour sold in
Iowa at the same price. Why don't
you farmers in Iowa grow more
wheat? A one crop country Is always
poor for the farmer The chinch bug
caused the farmers to think. 1t caused
a rotation Of crops. 1t was blessing
lin disguise. The corn root worm APP
ton of crops.
Winter wheat raising should be
further INDUCED in in Iowa. We ought
to put in more acreage and raise more
wheat to the acre. 1t should be sowed in
the sod Itself Or follow corn, rather
than on oats stubble. Wheat loves rich
land and soil of compacted ground
underneath and loose on top. Sow
wheat after corn or right in the stand
ing corn. Or If you turn under clover
in the early part Of the year, and then
work the surface, and SOW wheat
the last half of September, you ought
to get good crop.
How to Shock Grain.
I'VE sustain losses in wheat from
many causes. One is improper shock
ing of grain in field. Set UP a small
shock OF oats or wheat, and put 1t to-
gether closely. To make farming sue
cessful we must have well defined
ways Of doing things.
At this point the speaker showed the
institute one of the best ways of set
ting up a shock. AS there are twenty
or thirty ways Of doing this many Of
the farmers asked questions and gate
their opinions as to the best manner
of doing this work and nearly half
an hour was consumed in the discus
sion. The speaker next explained
how to set UP a stack.
In closing Professor Steen urged
the farmers to rotate their crops.