Sharp County record., 1917-11-02
ARE Y(U GOING
To Do YOUR BIT?
More Winter Wheat Must Be ero""
-bIs Year Than Ever Before, Says
Department of Agriculture
L W. Osborn, Agronomist College Oh
Agriculture, University OF

r W Osborn, Agronomist College Oh
Agriculture, University OF
Arkansas.
More winter wheat must be grown
this coming year than ever before
The immediate war agricultural pro-
gram for the nation calls for an IN
creased acreage of winter wheat III
Arkansas by 81 per cent over INC
1916 crop. Are you going to do your
bit?
Wheat does not require a lot OF OK
nensive labor as does cotton, and
though the returns per acre may
not be as great it frequently happens
that the proportion of prohts IS
greater.
Choice Of Soil
Select a field which is well drained
and which is as fertile as can be
found on the farm Do not try to
grow the crop on poor land that can
not produce over twenty bushels Of
corn to the acre. Though wheat will
do we'll on most any soil, provided it
is fertile, the crop is particularly
adapted to good loan and clay soils.
Preparation of Seed Bed.
A deep, thoroughly pulverized seed
bed which has become we'll settled Is
ideal for wheat. It is desirable that
land to be seeded to wheat should be
plowed and narrowed early--in All,
gust if possible-to permit the seed
bed toRecome Arm by seeding time.
Late "pf6%ed land should be tirmed,
then the use of the disk harrow, the
roller or a heavy plank drag. Tile
sDike-tooth harrow can be used to
excellent advantage both on freshly
plowed land and just before seeding
in order to get the surface in finely
pulverized condition.
Farmers who follow corn with
wheat in the fall usually follow one
of two common practices. The first
practice involves husking or swapping
thd4kars, then breaking down the
stalks with a heavy plank or spike
tooth harrow in the direction in which
the ground Is to be plowed. The
stalks are then turned under Land
prepared in this way should be firm.
ly rolled before seeding, The second
practice involves cutting corn stalks
from the land and removing them.
either for fodder or for the silo and
then double.disking the stubble for
wheat instead of using the turning
plow This is one Of the best plans
for making a seed bed.
Varieties.
Only soft red winter varieties Of
wheat are grown in this state. II DOS.
sible, get seed from a reliable grower
in the neighborhood who has been
making a success with wheat for sew.
eral years. Varieties which do we'll
In this state are medium early in time
of maturity and consequently are
more likely to escape damage by rust
than later maturing varieties. Good
varieties Of smooth.headed wheat
yield as we'll as bearded wheat. Fal.
caster Is very dependable bearded
wheat Red May Fultz, Straw and
Southern Blue Stem are reliable
smooth.headed varieties.
Time Of Seeding,
While early preparation Of seed bed
Is important, Il is a good plan 10 de.
lay the time Of seeding until after
the first white frost, The reason for
delaying the seeding Of wheat in this
way Is because Of the danger of Hes,
sian Fly Though IL Is not known
whether this pest is likely 10 affect
the crop in sections where wheat ia
seldom grown, II is q good plan ia
avoid any risk by delaying the seed
ing as suggested, It is not wise Ia
delay seeding too long after a frost
has made seeding safe, since a reduc
ed yield Of grain will result Late
planted wheat Is usually not as vigor.
GUS as wheat planted at The right
time,
Method Of Seeding,
Seeding with a grain drill Inauras a
more uniform stand than broadeast
seeding The grain drill places the
seed in moist dirts so that rapid per
mination follows, oven during dry
weather Results Of experiment sta
ton tests show that use Of Fraia drill,
averages from 3 to 4 bushels inereaaf
IN Yield over broadcast seeding. When
seed 10 sown broadcast, make ver7
certain that tho seed bed is finely pul
verized. Follow with a harrow ant
on loose soil with a roller When,
should be seeded at the rate Of Ave-
or SIX pecks per acre.
Fertilization,
Barnyard manure applied at III,
rate OF eight tons TO the aore Ia one
OF the best fertilizers for wheat Lane
with an abundance Of organic matte,
whether obtained from pea vines 0,
any other sources bL.pgs a quick re
'ponse from wheat, vAeid phosphat,
applied at the rate OF $50 - s0I