Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-24
MAKE FIT SEED BED
FOR WHEAT; DANGER IN
IMPROPER PREPARATION

Make the seed bed At for the seed
Do not intern wheat worth SO or "a
bushel for seed purposes In condi-
ton Of soil impossible for germina-
ton"
That precaution is urged by the de-
partment Of agriculture on all farm
ers who contemplate sowing the high
priced seed Of a high-priced food this
fall. To plant seed on poorly pre-
pared land not only wastes the seed
that does not terminate, the specialists
point out. but it may mean the loss OF
an entire investment IL paying stand
Is not obtained
A seed bed for wheat must be firm,
moist, and we'll compacted beneath
with a mellow, finely divided upper
three inches of soil, the specialists ad-
wise. If wheat Is grown in rotation
with oats or after wheat the stubble
should be plowed to a depth of at least
seven inches Immediately after har-
vesting the preceding crop Of grain.
The ground should be narrowed within
few hours after blowing and cultiva-
ton with harrow, disk, drag, or roller
should be given as necessary thereafter
until planting time. These operations
are necessary to kill weeds, to settle
and make firm the subsoil. and to
maintain a soil mulch on the surface.
The earlier the preparation Of a seed
bed for wheat is started the better the
condition Of the soil will be at planting
time. Late blowing does not allow
time for thorough preparation.
If cultivated crop precedes wheat,
frequent cultivation given to this crop
will preserve moisture and maintain
soil mulch. If level cultivation has
been practiced, good seed bed easily
can be prepared by disking and har-
rowing after removing the crop. How
ever, If weeds are present, it may be
advisable to pillow shallow. the disk
preceding and following the plow.
Early blowing followed by thorough
tillage aid in catching the water which
falls and In conserving this and the
water already in the soil for use by
the wheat plants. The firm seed bed
under the mulch thus made enables
the young plants to make use of the
subsoil waters which rise when there
is a perfect union between the plowed
soil and the subsoil. Sufficient mois-
ture Is thus assured for the germina-
ton of the seed and for the early fall
growth of the seedlings, very im-
portant consideration. Plant food is
also likely to be more abundant In the
soil when such methods are employed.
If the Importance of thorough tillage
were more generally recognized and
proper methods Of seed-bed prepar-
alton were more widely employed
thruout the so-called humid areas,
there would be less frequent losses
from drouth and better wheat crops
would result, the department special
lists declare. In this area the mistake
is often made of thinking there Will
always be moisture enough present Tor
a maximum crop growth. with the re-
suit that short crops often are obtained
where more attention to moisture con-
eervation would have assured good
yields.
Healthy Wheat Seed Essential. :
Sound, clean, healthy seed Is the first
requisite for the largely Increased
wheat crop. Whatever the source Of
supply farmers will find It to their adj
vantage, says the department. to soc
that only good seed is planted. What
has been said is equally true OF seed
for the rye crop which the department
hopes to see much larger than usual
next year.
If the farmer has seed from his own
crop which is satisfactory so Tar as
variety and general condition are con-
cerned, he should lose no time In get
ting 1t into shape for storage until
planting time. The tanning mill Is
the farmers best friend in this task.
The farmer, by all means should have
such a mill and II he has not and Is
unable to obtain one, should borrow or
rent his neighbours mill, or several
farmers can Join In buying one. A
tanning mill removes weed seeds, smut
and shriveIed grain and leaves only
plump kernels, practically every one OF
which may be depended upon to pro-
duce a thrifty plant. After 1t is cleaned
however, the seed should be treated in
order that the smut may be prevented.
scab is less likIy to be prevented by
seed treatment, but the use Of the fan
ming mill will assist materially in Inn
proving the crop growing from seed
known to have contained scabby kerr
nels,
If the farmer is dependent on outside
sources for his seed he should buy
from his neighbor il possible 80 that
he may be more likely to get seed Well
adapted to his conditions. It is advis-
able to buy as soon after harvest -
possible as at this time prices are like
" to be lowest If the farmer delays,
his neighoors may dispose Of all their
surplus grain and he may be forced to
plant seed grown under conditions
radically different from hiA own. II
the farmer patronizes q scotsman he
should insist on getting seed grown az
near his section as possible.
If seed is affected by disease, care
full inspection will usually disclose the
fact. The presence Of sinking smut
in wheat is indicated by the odor and
the presence of scab by the appearance
Of the kernels. Purchased seed should,
of course, be cleaned and treated for
the destruction Of the spores Of disease
producing fungi. II the examination
shows this to be necessary.
In choosing varieties Of wheat the
farmer should be guided by the ex-
periences of his neighbors and the adj
vice of his state experiment station.
This is true also Of rye, but there are
available fewer varieties Of rye than
OF wheat. The stations can furnish
comparative statistics on the yields and
behavior Of a number Of varieties Of
the two cereals.
After the grain farmer has procured
a supply Of satisfactory seed he should
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